Peter Obi, the 2023 presidential candidate of the Labour Party, expressed dismay on Monday over Nigeria’s reliance on war-torn Ukraine for food assistance, labeling it a “national disgrace.”
Speaking on X (formerly Twitter), Obi praised the Ukrainian government’s support for Nigeria but lamented the country’s dependence on foreign aid, citing years of leadership failure as the root cause.
He emphasized the urgent need for Nigeria to reassess its national priorities, especially in resource management and allocation, to address the ongoing crisis.
“It is disheartening that our once economically confident nation, blessed with vast arable land and abundant natural resources, now relies on a war-torn Ukraine for food assistance, Obi decried, adding that “this national disgrace stems from years of leadership failure, necessitating urgent reflection and a reordering of our national priorities and resource management and allocation.”
Last week, Ukraine donated 25,000 tonnes of wheat as emergency food assistance to 1.3 million vulnerable people in northeast Nigeria amidst soaring inflation and food prices.
Obi stressed the necessity for Nigeria to prioritize investment in productive sectors like agriculture to tackle inflation and food insecurity.
He highlighted the importance of addressing insecurity to enable farmers to return to their fields and support small businesses.
The recent protests in Niger, Kano, Osun, Ibadan, and Lagos, as well as incidents of food looting in Abuja, Suleja, Niger, and Zaria, underscore the severity of the situation.
The former Anambra Governor pointed out that the rising cost of living predates President Bola Tinubu’s administration but has worsened since he assumed office, citing fuel subsidy removal and the floating of the naira as contributing factors.
“Nigeria must aggressively reorder our priorities by investing resources in productive sectors like agriculture,” he said.
In response to public outcry, Tinubu directed the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security to release grain reserves and instructed security agencies to crack down on food hoarders.
Despite efforts by the Nigeria Customs Service to distribute confiscated food items, a tragic stampede during the process led to six deaths in Lagos, prompting authorities to halt the distribution.
