Former Presidential candidate, Peter Obi has criticised recent remarks by Bola Ahmed Tinubu comparing Nigeria’s economic situation to that of Kenya, warning that such comparisons risk downplaying the severity of hardship facing Nigerians.
In a post shared on X, Obi titled his message “From Pharisee to Tax Collector: Rethinking Tinubu’s Kenyan Comparison,” argued that Nigerians should not take comfort in being perceived as better off than other African countries, particularly amid rising fuel prices and worsening economic conditions.
“In a recent remark in Yenagoa, Bola Ahmed Tinubu suggested that Nigerians should find solace in being ‘better off than Kenya and other African countries.’ While this may have been intended to soften the impact of economic hardship and rising fuel prices, the comment risks downplaying the severity of the current crisis,” Obi stated.
Drawing parallels with religious teachings, the former Anambra governor said the remark mirrored the biblical parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector, noting that downward comparisons often serve as “a refuge rather than a remedy.” He added that such comments also echoed an earlier campaign-period remark attributed to the president: “Na statistics we go shop?”
Obi, however, stressed the importance of data-driven governance, saying: “Yet statistics remain indispensable — they are the language through which nations understand their condition and chart progress. No country can develop in isolation from measurable realities or without comparing itself with peers.”
The Labour Party presidential candidate further cited development indicators which, according to him, show Kenya performing better than Nigeria across several metrics, including security, Human Development Index, life expectancy, literacy, GDP per capita and electricity access.
He noted that Nigeria ranks as the fourth most terrorised country globally, while Kenya is not among the ten worst. Obi also pointed out that Kenya’s Human Development Index stands at 143 out of 180 countries with a coefficient of about 0.630, compared to Nigeria’s 164 ranking and coefficient of about 0.530.
On economic indicators, Obi said Kenya’s GDP per capita ranges between $2,200 and $2,300, significantly higher than Nigeria’s estimated $807 to $835. He also highlighted poverty rates, stating that Kenya’s poverty level stands at about 43 per cent of its population, compared to Nigeria’s 63 per cent, affecting roughly 150 million Nigerians.
The former governor further argued that Kenya’s life expectancy of about 67 years surpasses Nigeria’s 54 years, while literacy levels in Kenya average between 81 and 85 per cent compared to Nigeria’s 62 to 65 per cent.
He also referenced electricity access, inflation trends, exchange rate stability, and the number of out-of-school children, asserting that Kenya performs better across these indicators. Obi added that while Kenya has about 3.5 million out-of-school children, Nigeria has approximately 20 million.
“If the President considers Kenyans to be suffering despite these stronger figures, then Nigerians are in a far more difficult situation,” Obi stated.
He urged the government to avoid “self-consolation” and instead adopt humility and accountability in addressing Nigeria’s economic and development challenges.
“This requires a posture of humility, accountability, and commitment to addressing the factors that have slowed Nigeria’s development,” he said, concluding with his signature message: “A new Nigeria is POssible.”