Former presidential candidate of the Labour Party in Nigeria’s 2023 general election, Mr. Peter Obi, expressed dismay yesterday over Nigeria’s reliance on food donations from war-torn Ukraine, highlighting it as a stark reflection of government failures.

In response to Ukraine’s recent donation of 25,000 tonnes of wheat to alleviate food shortages in Nigeria’s northeastern region, Obi commended the gesture while condemning the underlying reasons necessitating such aid.

Obi took to social media to articulate his concerns, stating that while Ukraine’s generosity was commendable, it underscored Nigeria’s leadership deficiencies and mismanagement of resources.

He emphasized the need for sound political leadership to drive national development and improve citizens’ welfare, lamenting Nigeria’s dependence on foreign aid despite its abundant natural resources.

The former governor lamented Nigeria’s economic regression and compared it unfavorably to Ukraine, despite the latter’s ongoing conflict with Russia. He urged urgent reflection and restructuring of national priorities to address the root causes of Nigeria’s dependence on foreign aid.

Obi called for strategic investments in agriculture, security, manufacturing, and small businesses to revitalize the economy and achieve self-sufficiency in food production.

He stressed the importance of overcoming insecurity to enable farmers to return to their fields and boost agricultural productivity.

Obi concluded by expressing optimism that concerted efforts in key sectors could lead to a productive and prosperous Nigeria within a few years, urging decisive action to reverse the current trend of dependence on foreign aid.