A prominent chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Segun Sowunmi, has criticised Peter Obi, the 2023 presidential candidate of Labour Party (LP) over his recent comments on Nigeria’s economic situation during a lecture at Johns Hopkins University in the United States.
Obi, speaking on ‘Politics and Change in Nigeria’ at the invitation of Professor Peter Lewis, drew comparisons between Nigeria and three other nations — China, Vietnam, and Indonesia — assessing their development trajectories since 1990.
The former Anambra State governor noted that while all four countries were categorised under the medium Human Development Index (HDI) in 1990, Nigeria had since fallen into the low category, whereas the other three had advanced to the high category.
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Obi also highlighted Nigeria’s decline in GDP per capita relative to these nations and the dramatic rise in poverty levels.
He stated that the difference stemmed largely from the quality of political leadership, stating that competent, compassionate, and capable leaders in China, Vietnam, and Indonesia drove critical investments in education, healthcare, and poverty alleviation, whereas Nigeria lagged behind due to leadership failures.
However, Sowunmi, in his reaction via his X page, accused Obi of presenting a skewed and damaging portrayal of Nigeria on international platforms.
“With due respect Peter Obi, these measurements are faulty. Extremely skewed, for those who manipulate these figures have no metrics to measure the informal sector in Nigeria,” Sowunmi wrote.
He cautioned the 63-year-old against ‘de-marketing’ the same country he aspires to lead.
He urged Obi to challenge the international community’s ‘crazy neoliberal policies’ and the destabilisation of the Sahel region, which, he argued, had significant adverse effects on Nigeria.
“No one who wishes to lead a nation called Nigeria must be the de-marketer on steroids of the same country he or she wishes to lead. Stop it immediately,” Sowunmi declared, adding, “you need to cut the crap. Nigeria first.”
Sowunmi’s criticism of Obi came two days after he called for him to rejoin the PDP.
He argued that Obi’s political ascent was largely shaped during his time with the party.
Speaking during an appearance on Arise Television on Thursday, Sowunmi stressed that Obi’s prominence on the national stage could be traced back to his association with the PDP.
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He warned that a divided opposition would weaken any chance of removing the All Progressives Congress (APC) from power in the 2027 elections.
Obi, who was Atiku Abubakar’s running mate in the 2019 presidential election under the PDP banner, defected to the LP in 2022 and subsequently ran as its presidential candidate in the 2023 elections.
Sowunmi pointed to Obi’s impressive showing in the 2023 polls as clear proof of his electoral influence, suggesting that the PDP would be significantly strengthened by his return.
Reaffirming his call, Sowunmi insisted that unity within the opposition is essential, saying “The PDP needs Obi back in its fold. We cannot afford to approach 2027 with a fractured opposition that would once again hand victory to the ruling party.”
