By Ayomide Otitoju
Former Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi has issued a stark warning over the state of the nation, declaring that Nigeria is “collapsing” under the weight of bad governance, worsening poverty, and rising hardship.
Obi made the remarks on Wednesday during the Labour Party’s National Executive Council (NEC) meeting held at the Transcorp Hilton Hotel in Abuja, where he urged opposition leaders to rise above internal divisions and speak out for the Nigerian people.
“We must speak when things are wrong. Nigeria is collapsing. The numbers are clear, the indices are clear — more and more people are poorer,” Obi said. “People who used to feed well are now begging, even in this hotel. Where I used to go that people asked, ‘Oga, will you eat?’ — nobody is asking me again. That shows you how bad things are.”
The NEC meeting, chaired by former Finance Minister Senator Nenadi Usman, was held against the backdrop of a Supreme Court ruling that invalidated the recognition of Julius Abure as the Labour Party’s National Chairman. The decision led to the formation of a caretaker committee led by Usman, sparking controversy and factional disputes within the party.
In a show of solidarity and resolve, party leaders including Obi, his 2023 running mate Yusuf Datti Baba-Ahmed, and Abia State Governor Alex Otti led a procession from the NEC meeting to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) headquarters in Abuja. They called on the commission to recognise Nenadi Usman as the party’s legitimate national chairperson.
