The 2023 presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Mr. Peter Obi, has stated that he will not relent in his criticism of the administration of President Bola Tinubu, citing a “stunning failure” to tackle the nation’s severe insecurity.
This came just after the National Coordinator of Obedient Movement, Yunusa Tanko, said in interview that Obi is the only opposition voice that has kept the government on its toes.
In a statement on his social media handles on Thursday, titled: Here is why we can’t stop talking about Insecurity, Obi declared that the violence in the country has reached an “existential level,” making it impossible for the country to progress.
He argued that the crisis has devastated communities, crippled businesses, and forced millions from their homes.
“It is now extremely difficult to move forward without dealing with it. t has affected our people, affected businesses and farms and displaced Nigerians from their homes”, Obi stated.
Citing a recent United Nations report, he highlighted the scale of the displacement, noting, “As of 2025, the UN reported that Nigeria has over 3.6 million internally displaced persons. This is huge for a country not even at war. These are men, women, and children who have been forced to flee their homes because their communities are no longer safe.”
Obi pointed to the relentless daily reports of killings, abductions, and banditry as evidence of a deteriorating situation. He supported his claims by referencing a critical Amnesty International report, which accused the government of “emboldening bandits through its stunning failure to protect citizens,” suggesting this inaction has worsened insecurity in just two years.
The former governor detailed the economic consequences, stating, “Investors are fleeing, local businesses are collapsing, tourism has become non-existent.”
He particularly emphasised the impact on education, linking the insecurity to the nation’s out-of-school children crisis. “Farmers cannot farm, traders cannot trade or transport goods, and children cannot go to school, increasing the number of the already 20 million out-of-school children.”
While acknowledging recent government boasts of improved revenues, Obi insisted that security must be the absolute priority for investment. “Now that our government boasts of excess revenues, we must prioritise investing in critical areas of development, ensuring security is at the core,” he said.
He concluded with a call for urgent action, saying, “We must act now. A secure Nigeria will not only give our people peace but also unlock the enormous productivity potential of our country. Without securing Nigeria, there can be no sustainable future. The safety of Nigerians must now come first.”
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