You Minted Poverty in Anambra, Built No School in 8 Years, Sanwo-Olu Carpets Obi

In a scathing response to Peter Obi’s recent comments on Nigeria’s poverty situation, Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu has accused the former Anambra State governor of lacking the moral right to criticize the country.

Sanwo-Olu’s statement, titled “Factually Addressing Mr. Peter Obi’s Criticism of Nigeria at Johns Hopkins University,” was released on Sunday and has sparked a heated debate on social media.

According to Sanwo-Olu, Obi’s comments at Johns Hopkins University, where he compared Nigeria’s poverty rate to that of China and Vietnam, were not only misleading but also hypocritical. The Lagos State governor argued that Obi’s own record as governor of Anambra State was marred by a significant increase in poverty, which contradicts his current stance as a champion of poverty reduction.

Sanwo-Olu cited statistics to support his claim, stating that the poverty rate in Anambra State increased from 41.4% to 53.7% during Obi’s tenure as governor. In contrast, his successor, Willie Obiano, was able to reduce the poverty rate to 14.8% five years after Obi left office.

“It is ironic that a man like Mr. Obi, who did not build a single school or a stand-alone hospital throughout his eight-year tenure as governor of Anambra or sustainably provide credit facilities, would criticize the government of Nigeria, which is actively doing that,” Sanwo-Olu said.

The Lagos State governor also defended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s record on poverty reduction, citing his achievements as governor of Lagos State and his current efforts as President of Nigeria. Sanwo-Olu noted that Tinubu had built over 200 schools and provided student loans to over 200,000 undergraduates, in addition to providing over half a billion dollars in credit facilities to small and medium-scale enterprises.

Sanwo-Olu’s statement has been met with mixed reactions from Nigerians, with some praising his defense of the current administration and others criticizing his attack on Obi. The debate has highlighted the ongoing controversy surrounding Nigeria’s poverty rate and the role of leadership in addressing the issue.

The controversy is expected to continue in the coming days, with many Nigerians weighing in on the debate. As the country continues to grapple with the challenges of poverty and economic development, the role of leadership and governance in addressing these issues remains a critical topic of discussion.