Obi made the remarks in a statement marking the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty, lamenting that the country was moving backwards despite its abundant human and natural resources.

According to him, Nigeria’s poverty rate rose from 40.1 percent in 2019 to 56.2 percent in 2023, with a further increase to an estimated 63 percent in 2026.

The figures are consistent with the World Bank’s October 2026 Nigeria Poverty and Equity Brief, which projects that 63 per cent of Nigerians will be living below the national poverty line this year. The 2026 figure is an estimate, rather than the result of a new household survey.

Obi said the worsening situation had left millions of Nigerians struggling to afford food, access healthcare and meet their basic needs, while questioning the value of economic growth that does not translate into improved living conditions for ordinary citizens.

“What meaning does economic growth have when citizens are getting poorer, hungrier, and more insecure?” he asked.

The former Anambra State governor argued that national progress should be measured by improvements in the welfare of citizens rather than economic indicators alone.

He also criticised what he described as a disconnect between government narratives and the daily experiences of Nigerians grappling with poverty and economic hardship.

Obi suggested that the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty could have been declared a public holiday to allow for national reflection on the country’s worsening socioeconomic conditions.

He said such a day would provide an opportunity for Nigerians and their leaders to reflect on how a nation endowed with enormous human and natural resources had allowed poverty to become such a widespread challenge.

The NDC presidential candidate, however, maintained that poverty was not Nigeria’s destiny and could be reversed through effective leadership and responsible management of public resources.

He identified investment in education and healthcare, support for agriculture and small businesses, and prudent management of public funds as key measures needed to tackle the crisis.

Obi’s comments come amid renewed concerns over the relationship between Nigeria’s economic reforms, rising living costs and household welfare.

While the government has pointed to efforts to stabilise the economy, concerns persist over whether the benefits of economic adjustments are reaching ordinary Nigerians.

The World Bank has similarly highlighted the need for stronger growth, improved purchasing power and productive employment to achieve meaningful poverty reduction.

Obi called for a renewed commitment to policies that place citizens’ welfare at the centre of governance, insisting that Nigeria could reverse the trend if its resources were managed effectively and economic opportunities expanded.

He said the country’s ability to overcome poverty would ultimately depend on leadership, accountability and sustained investment in the people.

The development followed a mobilisation rally organised by the Oluyede Progressive Alliance for Renewed Hope Agenda (OPARHA) in Ado-Ekiti on Tuesday.

Oluyede, who contested the governorship election against Oyebanji, led supporters on a mega walk tagged “20,000 Steps. One Hope. One Nigeria,” before the group converged at Fajuyi Park, where the governor and other political figures addressed the gathering.

Speaking at the event, Oluyede said his supporters would commence grassroots mobilisation across Ekiti’s 16 local government areas and 177 wards to canvass support for Tinubu.

He announced a target of securing 90 per cent of the votes in the state for the President in the 2027 election.

According to Oluyede, the mobilisation was aimed at bringing together people from different political backgrounds while promoting what he described as the broader interests of Ekiti and Nigeria.

Oyebanji, in his remarks, commended Oluyede for setting aside political differences and working with the APC-led administration to mobilise support for Tinubu.

The governor said the cooperation between members of the APC and PDP demonstrated that political differences could be put aside when issues concerning the development of the state were involved.

The latest development comes weeks after Oluyede withdrew his petition challenging Oyebanji’s victory in the June 20, 2026 governorship election. Oluyede said at the time that his decision was influenced by appeals from President Tinubu and other individuals, as well as his desire to contribute to the development of Ekiti.

Oluyede had also recently praised Oyebanji’s administration, particularly its efforts in security, infrastructure and human capital development, while expressing his readiness to work with the governor.

The APC campaign council claimed that the contract dispute had exposed Nigeria to substantial financial liabilities, stating that Sunrise Power and Adesanya had made claims against the Federal Government involving hundreds of millions of dollars and a separate compensation claim exceeding $2.7 billion.
The statement also compared the dispute with the $11 billion arbitration claim involving Process and Industrial Developments (P&ID), which the Nigerian government previously challenged.
The council criticised Atiku for allegedly failing to appear to provide evidence during the arbitration proceedings, while commending former Presidents Olusegun Obasanjo and Muhammadu Buhari for their participation in defending Nigeria’s interests.
It also referenced allegations contained in Obasanjo’s memoir, My Watch, concerning Atiku’s conduct during their time in government.
The APC campaign council urged Atiku to withdraw from the presidential contest, describing the arbitration revelations as evidence of what it called extensive corruption.
It further accused the ADC candidate of contributing to the delay in the development of the Mambila Hydroelectric Power Project, which it said could have generated significant economic benefits for Taraba State.

Speaking at the event, Obi blamed the Federal Government for mismanaging funds saved from the subsidy removal but insisted this was not sufficient justification for bringing the policy back.
He maintained that the removal itself remained the right decision and the real failure lay in how the government handled the resulting savings. He explained that rather than reverse the policy, the government should have provided citizens with alternative benefits from the recovered funds, adding that those very savings were now being squandered and diverted.

The former Anambra State governor noted that he had long proposed a structured framework for managing subsidy proceeds, pointing to his 2023 campaign manifesto as evidence of this position.

“I subscribe and maintain that we need to remove subsidy. Mismanagement of the proceeds should not be the reason for not removing it. What we should have done is that when we removed it, we should have given the people alternative usage for the subsidy. What we have today is that the removal and the attendant resources being recovered are also being mismanaged and stolen,” Obi said.
He added that his manifesto had already spelt out his position ahead of the 2023 election, stating that he had promised to manage subsidy removal in an organised manner and ensure that whatever was recovered would be invested appropriately.

President Bola Tinubu had announced the end of the petrol subsidy regime on the day of his inauguration in May 2023, a decision that immediately triggered sharp increases in petrol prices and stoked public anxiety over the rising cost of living. This backdrop shaped much of the debate among candidates in Port Harcourt as they staked out competing positions on how the country’s economic and security challenges should be addressed ahead of 2027.

Former Rivers State governor and ADC vice presidential candidate Rotimi Amaechi argued that economic recovery hinged on massive job creation, boosting local production, and policies that would put more disposable income in citizens’ hands. He cited his tenure as governor, during which his administration built more than 500 primary schools, over 300 health centres and more than 200 roads, alongside intelligence-driven efforts that drastically reduced crime. He further pledged that an Atiku-Amaechi administration would ensure equitable distribution of political appointments across the country, criticising what he described as the concentration of appointments under the Tinubu administration.

African Action Congress candidate, Omoyele Sowore, called instead for a wholesale change of government, insisting Nigeria’s security emergency could not be tackled under the current leadership. He also criticised the fuel subsidy regime, framing it as a policy that primarily benefited the elite rather than ordinary Nigerians. “If there is anybody that has been consistent in the removal of fuel subsidy, it has been me. The question about fuel subsidy is: who are you subsidising? You are subsidising the elite. You are subsidising the governors,” Sowore said.

On security, he was joined by Social Democratic Party candidate Adewale Adebayo in arguing that Nigeria required a change in leadership to tackle terrorism and other security threats, though Adebayo differed from most of the candidates on policing structure, advocating instead for a three-tier system involving federal, state and local government police.

Meanwhile former Cross River State governor, Donald Duke, insisted that leadership remained the central issue confronting Nigeria, arguing that getting the leadership question right would have a multiplier effect on other sectors, while condemning the influence of ethnicity in Nigerian politics and calling for reforms to strengthen the country’s presidential system.

Delivering the conference’s keynote address, titled “Policing in Transition,” Chief of Staff to President Tinubu, Femi Gbajabiamila, defended the administration’s proposed state police reform, describing it as a long-avoided issue the government had finally confronted. “Centralised policing without safeguards will bring about more chaos,” he warned.
He also explained that the reform was designed around a dual policing system meant to close existing gaps. Addressing fears that state police could be abused by governors against political opponents, he queried, “Who polices the police?”

 He identified inadequate police manpower and deployment as major challenges, noting that Nigeria had about one policeman to every 650 people compared with an international benchmark of one to every 450, a situation he said was worsened by the deployment of many officers to administrative and escort duties rather than core policing responsibilities.

He stressed training, professionalism and institutional safeguards, insisting that police officers who rejected unlawful orders must be protected by strong institutions rather than mere assurances, even as he acknowledged that governors, as elected chief executives, must retain executive authority without the power to order the arrest of political opponents.

Obi stated this in a message marking International Youth Day, where he saluted the courage, creativity, energy and potential of young Nigerians across different sectors.

He said the capabilities of Nigerian youths were evident in areas including football, technology, medicine, aviation, entrepreneurship, academia and the creative industries.

Recalling a recent trip to Bauchi, Obi said he was reminded of what young Nigerians could achieve after travelling with two young pilots.

“The two captains who flew us were young men of 20 and 28 years respectively,” he said, describing their competence, confidence and professionalism as evidence that age should not be a barrier to excellence.

Obi said Nigeria had no shortage of talent but needed deliberate investment and an enabling environment to help young people realise their potential.

“We must create a country where a young Nigerian does not have to leave Nigeria to fulfil his or her potential,” he said.

He called for increased investment in quality education, skills, healthcare, technology, sports and decent employment, saying such measures would create more opportunities for young Nigerians to thrive.

“Our youths are not a burden to be managed. They are our greatest national asset and the builders of the Nigeria we desire,” Obi said.

The NDC presidential candidate reaffirmed his commitment to a Nigeria where every young person has the opportunity to learn, work, create, lead and prosper.

“With the support and active participation of the youth, a new Nigeria is possible,” he added.

Obi made the remarks in Bauchi State at the Goodluck Jonathan Foundation’s Democracy Dialogue, themed “Beyond Elections: Can Political Parties and the Judiciary Save African Democracy?”

The former Anambra State governor said the state of democratic institutions in Nigeria had become so concerning that the country was approaching a point where it might no longer be able to meaningfully claim that democracy exists.

Obi recalled his legal battle over the Anambra governorship election, saying the judiciary at the time demonstrated the independence expected of an arm of government by upholding the law and restoring what he described as the will of the people.

He said, “That was democracy at work.”

However, Obi expressed concern that the situation had changed, noting that people accused of violating the law were often the first to tell their opponents to “go to court.”

He also criticised the electoral management system, alleging that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) was increasingly accused of enabling electoral malpractice and the emergence of individuals who were either unqualified or lacked the mandate of the people.

Obi further raised concerns about changes to electoral laws, the conduct of some legal practitioners and religious leaders, as well as allegations concerning the judiciary.

He said, “When the very institutions established to protect democracy begin to accommodate its destruction, we must stop pretending that everything is normal.”

The NDC presidential candidate called for sober reflection and honest national dialogue to address what he described as institutional decay threatening Nigeria’s democratic system.

Obi urged Nigerians to examine the country’s democratic journey and take steps to reverse the trend, stressing that the survival of the nation depended on rebuilding institutions and restoring public confidence.

In a condolence message, Obi described the late statesman as a dedicated public servant who served Nigeria in various capacities and left behind a lasting legacy through his contributions to the nation and the Sokoto Sultanate.

“I am saddened by the passing of Alhaji Abubakar Alhaji, the Sardauna of Sokoto, former Minister of Finance, and diplomat who served Nigeria in various capacities.”

Obi noted that Alhaji would be remembered for his years of public service and his role as the Sardauna of Sokoto.

On behalf of his family and himself, the NDC presidential candidate extended his condolences to the Government and people of Sokoto State, His Eminence the Sultan of Sokoto, the Sultanate of Sokoto, the royal family and all those mourning the late elder statesman.

Speaking on Politics Today, a programme on Channels Television, Osunbor said the ADC’s presidential candidate, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, would defeat candidates of other political parties if the election is conducted transparently.

“I don’t think there is any party that stands as much chance as ADC today of winning the presidential election in 2027 in a free and fair election. I don’t see any of the candidates that emerge from any of the political parties defeating our presidential candidate, His Excellency Alhaji Atiku Abubakar,” he said.

Osunbor also dismissed arguments that the presidency should be decided primarily on regional considerations, saying Nigeria’s current challenges require voters to prioritise competence and national survival over zoning.

Referring to former President Goodluck Jonathan, he argued that regional balancing had not guaranteed eight years in office for leaders from the South-South region.

“Was it regional consideration that denied South-South President Goodluck Jonathan eight years?” he asked.

According to the former Edo State governor, discussions about power rotation are more appropriate when a country is peaceful, secure and making steady progress.

“The primary concerns of Nigerians today are different. You do balancing when a country is at peace, when the people are happy, when people are not afraid whether they will sleep and wake up the following day, and when the country is undergoing progress,” he said.

Osunbor warned that Nigeria’s democracy is at a critical stage, claiming that the 2027 general election could determine the future of democratic governance in the country.

“There are people who are beginning to fear that 2027 may actually be the last time your votes and my votes will count in Nigeria if we don’t get it right,” he said.

He urged Nigerians to participate actively in the election and vote in a way that would safeguard the country’s democratic future.

“If we don’t get it right, this will be the very last time that people will be allowed to choose who they want to elect. It would be by order or presidential directive in future if we do not get it right now.

“So let us get it right and save our country. Let us rescue our democracy and build a country that our children and generations to come will be proud of,” Osunbor added.