The presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, has challenged President Bola Tinubu to account for the funds generated through petrol subsidy removal, government borrowings and increased tax revenue.
Obi said Nigerians deserved to know how the enormous resources available to the Federal Government had been utilised and whether they had translated into meaningful improvements in their daily lives.
The former Anambra State governor made the demand in a statement shared on his X account on Saturday, November 7, titled “Good Day, Mr President: Nigerians Deserve Accountability.”
His comments followed Tinubu’s recent criticism of his record as Anambra governor during a political rally in Akwa Ibom State, where the President reportedly raised concerns about the erosion crisis in the state.
Responding, Obi urged Tinubu to move beyond political exchanges and visit other parts of the country to engage directly with citizens about his administration’s achievements.
He specifically questioned what had been achieved with the N15.8 trillion the President reportedly identified as savings from the removal of petrol subsidy, alongside more than $100 billion in loans and additional revenue generated through taxation.
Obi argued that the increased financial resources available to the government should be visible in the living conditions of ordinary Nigerians rather than remaining figures in official statements.
He asked the President to provide concrete details on the number of Nigerians lifted out of poverty, children returned to school and functional primary healthcare centres established since the administration came into office.
The NDC flagbearer also raised concerns about electricity supply, asking whether Nigerians were experiencing any significant improvement in power availability. He recalled Tinubu’s earlier promise that citizens should not vote for him if he failed to address the country’s electricity challenges.
On insecurity, Obi questioned the government’s efforts to protect lives and property, noting that terrorism and other security threats remained major concerns across the country.
He maintained that Nigerians had a right to demand transparency from their leaders, insisting that the government must demonstrate how public funds and borrowed resources were being used to improve the country.
Obi concluded that accountability should go beyond announcing revenue figures and securing loans, stressing that the ultimate measure of government performance should be the positive impact of its policies on the people.
