Tinubu manipulating statistics to downplay Nigeria’s economic woes, says Peter Obi

By Esther

Updated July 28, 2025 3:17 pm

Peter Obi, former Anambra State Governor and Labour Party presidential candidate, has sharply criticized President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for allegedly distorting economic statistics to mask Nigeria’s worsening living conditions. Obi warns that the administration’s use of inaccurate data on inflation, unemployment, and GDP is misleading the public and undermining the country’s development efforts.

Obi’s Accusation:

In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Obi condemned the Tinubu administration for what he called a “deliberate manipulation of economic indicators” aimed at painting a false picture of progress.

“In November 2022, while campaigning in Delta State, Tinubu mocked my reliance on statistics, saying, ‘Na statistics we go chop? All I want is to put food on the table of Nigerians.’

Two years later, Nigeria ranks among the hungriest nations globally, with millions unsure of their next meal. Yet, the President now inundates Nigerians with misleading statistics—wrong unemployment figures, distorted inflation rates, and questionable GDP data—all to disguise the country’s deteriorating economic reality.”

Obi emphasized that governance demands more than political rhetoric—it requires sincerity, competence, character, capacity, and compassion.

What the Data Reveals:

Obi’s remarks come amid conflicting signals from national and global data sources:

· Extreme Poverty:
According to the World Bank’s Africa’s Pulse report (April 2025), Nigeria accounts for 19% of sub-Saharan Africa’s extremely poor population—the highest in the region.

This means 1 in every 7 of the world’s poorest people lives in Nigeria, raising serious concerns about the country’s development trajectory.

· Inflation Trends:
The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) reported that Nigeria’s headline inflation rate eased to 22.22% in June 2025, down from 22.97% in May.
However, month-on-month inflation rose to 1.68%, up from 1.53%, indicating that prices are still climbing—just at a slower pace.

· Historical Context:
In April 2025, Obi had already warned that Nigeria has more poor people than China, Indonesia, and Vietnam combined, underscoring the depth of the crisis.

Peter Obi’s critique highlights a growing concern among Nigerians: that official data may be used more as a political tool than a reflection of reality. As economic hardship deepens, the call for transparent governance and data integrity becomes ever more urgent.