The Lagos State Chapter of the All Progressives Congress has condemned a statement by Peter Obi, the former Labour Party Presidential candidate in the 2023 election, describing President Bola Tinubu’s revenue target pronouncement as “meaningless amid rising poverty”, calling it economic ignorance.
The party, in a statement signed by Mogaji Seye Oladejo, the chapter’s spokesperson, made available to TVC on Friday, explained that Obi’s ignorance of President Tinubu’s administrative reforms stemmed from his loss in the 2023 presidential election, which has subjected him to a continued bitterness clouding his judgment, making him a consistent source of confusion rather than clarity in national discourse.
According to the statement, the party took a swipe at Obi, stating that his pride in himself on “saving money” rather than investing state resources for the greater good makes him lack basic knowledge of what drives the economy.
The statement reads, “The Lagos State Chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) is compelled to respond to yet another reckless and economically incoherent statement by Mr. Peter Obi, the former Governor of Anambra State and failed presidential candidate of the Labour Party, who recently declared that ‘revenue targets are meaningless amid rising poverty.”
“Such a statement, coming from someone who still parades himself as an economic reformer, is not only disappointing- it is downright embarrassing. It reinforces what discerning Nigerians have come to realise, Peter Obi’s rhetoric is long on populism but woefully short on substance. His post-election bitterness continues to cloud his judgment, making him a consistent source of confusion rather than clarity in national discourse.”
APC described Obi’s statement as “meaningless, inaccurate and economically reckless”, stressing the importance of setting revenue targets for every government administration, regardless of the level, to plan well-structured funding policy-driven initiatives.
“To suggest that government revenue targets are ‘meaningless’ in the face of poverty is not just laughably inaccurate; it is economically reckless. Every serious government- local, state, or federal- sets revenue targets because without revenue, you simply cannot fund education, healthcare, infrastructure, or the very poverty alleviation Obi pretends to champion,” the statement explained.
“The Lagos APC finds it deeply ironic that this statement comes from a man who, as governor, prided himself on “saving money,” yet failed to invest significantly in long-term infrastructure or the people. What exactly does Obi think drives social investment if not sustainable, well-managed revenue generation?
“Peter Obi is old enough, experienced enough, and- one would hope-intelligent enough to know that this kind of economic ignorance will haunt his legacy. Long after the lights of the 2027 campaign have faded, Mr. Obi will look back on moments like this with regret, knowing he used his platform not to elevate the national debate but to pollute it with simplistic soundbites.” It added
The party emphasised Lagos State as an administrative example to corroborate President Tinubu’s revenue-driven policies, citing the state’s contemporary infrastructure and improved transportation, which boost foreign investors’ confidence, and claiming this contradicts the economic policies of Obi’s administration in Anambra State.
“Lagos State, under the leadership of the APC, is the clearest proof that targeted revenue generation can deliver tangible benefits to the people. We have built world-class infrastructure, improved public transportation, attracted foreign investment, and driven job creation-not by ignoring revenue targets, but by setting and achieving them.
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“Unlike Peter Obi’s Anambra, which he governed with a miser’s calculator and little vision, Lagos has shown that economic growth and poverty alleviation are not mutually exclusive-they are two sides of the same coin, driven by disciplined revenue management,” the party explains.
APC further explained that Obi’s bid to stay relevant has put him in the spot of making wild headline-grabbing remarks, which has subjected him to confusing activism to governance.
The party accused Obi of weaponising poverty for political gains without offering a pathway to cushion the effects of poverty.
“Mr. Obi should stop trying to stay relevant by making wild, headline-grabbing remarks that collapse under the weight of scrutiny. Governance is not activism, and policy is not performance art. Nigerians are beginning to see through his carefully packaged brand of economic quackery-and many are asking: if this is the kind of thinking he would have brought to Aso Rock, then perhaps the country truly dodged a bullet.
“Peter Obi has made a habit of weaponising poverty for political gain, without offering any coherent pathway out of it. To dismiss revenue targets in a time of fiscal constraint is not just bad economics- it is dangerous populism. We expect more from someone who still fantasises about leading a complex economy like Nigeria.
“We advise Mr. Obi to either educate himself on the basics of fiscal policy or quietly withdraw from public commentary before he further embarrasses himself. One thing is clear: this is not the legacy of a serious statesman- and deep down, even Peter Obi knows it,” the statement concluded.
Recall that the former Anambra governor had earlier criticised President Tinubu after the latter declared that the 2025 revenue target had been met in August.
Obi took to his official X handle to question the President on the effect of the revenue generation on Nigerians and the economy.
