Sanwo-Olu Blasts Obi: ‘You Raised Poverty in Anambra, Yet You Bash Nigeria Abroad!'”

April 28, 2025

By Ayinde Adeleke

Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has launched a scathing attack on former Anambra State Governor, Peter Obi, for his “disparaging” and “unpatriotic” remarks about Nigeria during a speech at Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore.

Sanwo-Olu accused Obi of damaging Nigeria’s image abroad and questioned his moral right to criticize the current administration, labeling his comments “deeply disturbing” and “hypocritical.”

“I find Mr. Obi’s pattern of behaviour disturbing,” Sanwo-Olu declared.

“When prominent Nigerians go overseas, they ought to project Nigeria positively… That is what true patriotism is about.”

The Governor highlighted President Bola Tinubu’s achievements, saying, “The President of Nigeria, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, is my predecessor, and as Governor of Lagos and now President of Nigeria, has built over 200 schools and provided student loans to more than 200,000 undergraduates of Nigerian tertiary institutions.”

Sanwo-Olu also noted that Tinubu provided over half a billion dollars in credit facilities to small and medium-scale enterprises.

Sanwo-Olu contrasted Tinubu’s record with Obi’s, saying, “While he was Governor of Lagos State between 1999 and 2007, the President reduced poverty by more than 46%.”

He added, “Mr. Obi talks a good game. But was he able to reduce poverty while he Governed Anambra?”

The Governor revealed that poverty rates in Anambra increased during Obi’s tenure, from 41.4% to 53.7%.

“The interesting thing is that five years after Peter Obi left office, his successor, Willie Obiano, reduced the poverty rate in Anambra from almost 60% to 14.8%,” Sanwo-Olu said.

Sanwo-Olu questioned Obi’s moral authority to criticize the current administration, saying, “I am not sure that Mr. Obi is morally well placed to make the alarming claims he made about Nigeria at Johns Hopkins.”

He added, “Mr. Obi contributed to the increase in poverty in Nigeria. Governor Tinubu, as he then was, was responsible for lifting millions out of poverty. Being that that is the case, who should criticise who?”