Labour Party (LP) Presidential candidate in the 2023 election, Mr. Peter Obi, has asked Nigeria’s political leaders to learn lessons from the recent protests by the Kenyan people, and the response of their President, William Ruto, and his government, to the demands of the protesters.
Mr. Obi, a former Governor of Anambra State, said that the Kenyan “public realized that their government was not making sufficient sacrifices and prioritizing resources effectively, they spoke out, demanded change, expressed their dissatisfaction, and protested.”
Obi said in an X (formerly twitter) post that in response to the protest the “President demonstrated true Leadership by listening to the people’s demands and acting accordingly, recognizing that government should be driven by the needs of the citizens, not by our own consumption agenda.
“The government took several measures to reduce unnecessary expenditures and demonstrate fiscal responsibility, including canceling budgets for the First Lady and Second Lady’s offices, dissolving 47 state agencies, suspending nonessential travel for government workers, freezing the purchase of new cars for officials, and reducing the number of advisers by half.
“Another notable instance was when the president was accused of chartering a plane to America. Instead of dismissing the concerns, he responded transparently and addressed the issue. This acknowledgment of the people’s demands exemplifies responsive governance.
“In contrast, we the Nigerian leaders, often arrogantly do the opposite to genuine grievances of our suffering citizens. Instead of addressing legitimate concerns, and being accountable to the people, we resort to using public funds to pay media thugs to insult and abuse those who speak truth to power.
“We, the Nigerian Leaders, must abandon these detrimental habits, stop the feasting, and start making sacrifices for the greater good of our suffering masses,” he said.
