Former Anambra State Governor Peter Obi has slammed President Bola Tinubu’s administration, stating that the reforms introduced by the All Progressives Congress (APC)-led government are failing to curb poverty in Nigeria.

The World Bank report, released on October 8, 2025, shows that 139 million Nigerians are currently living below the poverty line, up from 87 million in 2023.

Reacting to this, Obi, in a tweet on Tuesday, attributed the rise in poverty to the policies and style of the APC government over the past two years.

Obi stated that more than 50 million Nigerians have been pushed into poverty during this period.

“What this means is that in two years under the watch of the APC regime, over 50 million Nigerians were sent into poverty,” Obi wrote in a tweet.

“This is a heartbreaking reflection of how deeply our nation is failing its citizens.

“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 but instead caused a rebuttal from the government when the news already reflects the daily struggles of the ordinary Nigerian.”

Obi noted that despite various reforms by the government, poverty levels have continued to rise.

He stated this was due to a lack of a clear plan and insufficient focus on directing resources into productive sectors.

The former presidential candidate added, “The World Bank also revealed that despite the many celebrated reforms, the number of Nigerians living in poverty is rising, worsening Nigeria’s position as the most poverty-stricken nation in the world.

“The reasons these reforms are not working are due to the lack of a clear plan and a lack of determination to channel the supposed gains into feasible and productive areas that will benefit the people and improve overall growth.”

He recommended that reforms should be “deliberate and strictly followed by people-focused policies that prioritise production over consumption, support small businesses and farmers, invest in education and healthcare, and ensure that government spending directly impacts the lives of Nigerians by pulling them out of poverty.”

“No nation can truly rise when the majority of its people are trapped in poverty. With the right leadership, we can make Nigeria work for every Nigerian.” (THE GUARDIAN)