NDC presidential candidate Peter Obi has criticised President Bola Tinubu over his administration’s handling of the economy, insecurity and other national challenges, questioning why the President has yet to spend a night in Imo State since assuming office.
Obi made the remarks during a town hall meeting in Owerri, the Imo State capital, on Saturday, October 31, 2026, as part of his ongoing engagement with Nigerians.
The former Anambra State governor, who travelled to Owerri from Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, said his visit to a local market before the meeting gave him an opportunity to hear directly from traders, buyers and other residents about their economic difficulties.
According to him, the experiences shared by the people reflected the hardship many Nigerians are facing under the current administration.
Addressing participants at the town hall meeting, Obi questioned Tinubu’s absence from Imo State despite what he described as the President’s frequent foreign travels.
He said that after more than three years in office, Tinubu had not considered it necessary to spend a night in the state, despite spending over 260 days outside the country.
Obi further alleged that the Tinubu administration had accumulated huge debts without delivering corresponding improvements in the living conditions of Nigerians.
He painted a grim picture of the country’s socio-economic situation, citing widespread hunger, multidimensional poverty, insecurity and the growing number of out-of-school children.
The former governor claimed that more than 140 million Nigerians were living in multidimensional poverty, while approximately 18 million children were not attending school. He also described Nigeria as one of the countries facing severe insecurity.
Despite the challenges, Obi told residents that the country could still overcome its difficulties, reaffirming his commitment to national development alongside former Kano State Governor, Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso.
He said their proposed leadership would focus on national unity, improved security, substantial investment in healthcare and education, and efforts to lift millions of Nigerians out of poverty.
Obi maintained that he and Kwankwaso had the experience, capacity and commitment to address the country’s challenges, describing their proposed intervention as a necessary step towards national recovery.
The town hall also featured discussions on electoral integrity, with participants expressing concerns about the protection of votes during elections.
Responding, Obi urged Nigerians to participate actively in the democratic process and remain at polling units until the final results were announced, stressing the importance of safeguarding their votes.
He also expressed appreciation to party members, candidates, organisers and supporters in Imo State for their reception and participation in the engagement.
Obi said building a better Nigeria required collective effort, reiterating his message that a new Nigeria was possible.
