Labour Party presidential candidate in the 2023 general election, Peter Obi, has criticised the All Progressives Congress (APC)-led Federal Government over the rising poverty rate in Nigeria, describing its policies and governance style as responsible for impoverishing millions of citizens within two years.
In a statement shared via his official X handle on Tuesday, Obi reacted to a recent World Bank report released on October 8, 2025, which revealed that 139 million Nigerians are currently living in poverty — a sharp increase from the 87 million recorded in 2023, when President Bola Tinubu assumed office.
Obi said the figures reflected the harsh realities Nigerians face daily, adding that the report was a “heartbreaking reflection of how deeply our nation is failing its citizens.”
He lamented that rather than treating the World Bank’s findings as a national emergency, the government responded with denials and defensiveness, ignoring the suffering of ordinary Nigerians.
“The World Bank report shows that in two years under the watch of the APC regime, over 50 million Nigerians were sent into poverty,” Obi said. “What is even more concerning is that this devastating revelation has not led to an emergency and national discussion on how to effectively pull millions of our people out of poverty.”
According to him, the country’s celebrated economic reforms have failed to yield tangible results because of a lack of clear planning and weak implementation focused on the welfare of citizens.
“The reasons these reforms are not working are due to the lack of a clear plan and the failure to channel supposed gains into productive areas that will benefit the people,” Obi stated.
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He emphasised that reforms must be deliberate and people-oriented, advocating policies that prioritise production over consumption, empower small businesses and farmers, and invest significantly in education, healthcare, and social welfare.
“No nation can truly rise when the majority of its people are trapped in poverty,” Obi asserted. “With the right leadership, we can make Nigeria work for every Nigerian. A New Nigeria is POssible.”
The World Bank report has continued to generate public debate, with many Nigerians expressing frustration over worsening living conditions amid rising inflation, fuel costs, and unemployment.