Former Presidential Candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi, has strongly criticized the Federal Government’s approval of a N712.3 billion budget for airport renovation, calling it a misplaced priority at a time when over 34 million Nigerians are at risk of hunger.

In a strongly-worded statement on his X-Handle on Wednesday, Obi said the decision to invest such an enormous sum in physical infrastructure while citizens starve, is a clear indictment against the government’s priorities.

“It is profoundly troubling that at a time when millions of Nigerians are battling hunger and hardship, the government chooses to spend N712 billion—not to feed the people or lift them out of poverty—but to renovate an airport,” Obi said.

The United Nations issued a chilling warning in July, which was later published in local media on August 1, 2025, stating that 34 million Nigerians are facing acute food insecurity. That same day, the Federal Government unveiled the airport renovation project, sparking outrage among citizens and rights groups

Obi questioned the timing and rationale of the expenditure, especially given that Nigeria borrowed $500 million in 2013 to upgrade five international airports. He asked: “What justifies spending even more on just one airport a decade later, when the nation is in economic distress and social crisis?

“Development is about choices. Hunger, health, education and security should come before terminals and tarmacs. A government that builds grandiose infrastructure while its people starve is not building a nation — it is betraying one,” he added.

The former Governor of Anambra State emphasized that while infrastructure is important, it should not come at the expense of human development. He warned that food security is not just a welfare issue but a national security and economic strategy.

Obi called on the government to urgently redirect its resources to critical areas, including food security, healthcare, education, and poverty alleviation. He urged Nigerians to demand more accountability and people-centred policies from their leaders.

“Every budget is a statement of values. What message are we sending when airports take precedence over lives? We must rethink our priorities and put Nigerians first,” he declared.

Ending his statement with his signature message of hope, Obi concluded: “A New Nigeria is POssible — if we choose to prioritise people over projects, and compassion over contracts.” (The Guardian)