Barely a day after publicly calling on Peter Obi to return to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), party chieftain Segun Sowunmi has again addressed the 2023 Labour Party presidential candidate, this time criticizing Obi’s recent comments about Nigeria’s economy, which he made during a visit to Johns Hopkins University in the United States.
Peter Obi had taken to X (formerly Twitter) to share a comparative analysis of Nigeria’s economic development in relation to countries such as China, Vietnam, and Indonesia, focusing on data from 1990 to 2025. According to Obi, all four countries were classified within the “medium” category of the Human Development Index (HDI) when measurement began in 1990. However, over the span of 35 years, while China, Vietnam, and Indonesia progressed to the “high” HDI category, Nigeria regressed into the “low” category.
Obi further highlighted that in 1990, Nigeria had a GDP per capita of $556, which was higher than China’s $317, Indonesia’s $578, and significantly higher than Vietnam’s $99. Fast forward to the present day, Nigeria’s GDP per capita now lags significantly behind, being less than one-fifth of Indonesia’s ($5000), Vietnam’s ($4400), and only a fraction of China’s ($13,000). He also lamented the worsening poverty situation, noting that in 1990, Nigeria had around 50 million poor people—far fewer than China’s 750 million, Indonesia’s 85 million, and Vietnam’s 60 million. Today, he stated, Nigeria has more people living in poverty than all three countries combined.
Reacting to this, Sowunmi rejected Obi’s analysis as misleading and one-sided. He argued that such international comparisons fail to consider Nigeria’s large informal economy, which he believes significantly affects the accuracy of standard economic metrics like GDP and HDI. He warned that these global indices often lack the tools to properly evaluate the dynamics of countries like Nigeria.
In a strongly worded post on X, Sowunmi expressed disapproval over Obi’s approach, stating:
“With due respect, @PeterObi, these measurements are faulty. They are extremely skewed because those who manipulate these figures have no metrics to measure the informal sector in Nigeria. You need to stop this, especially at international forums. You ought to place the burden on them and their crazy neoliberal policies, along with their deep state manipulations that unfairly pressure Africa.”
He added that it is inappropriate for someone who aspires to lead Nigeria to persistently highlight the country’s shortcomings before an international audience. “No one who wishes to lead a nation called Nigeria must be the de-marketer on steroids of the same country he or she wishes to lead. Stop it immediately,” he warned.Sowunmi emphasized the need for leaders and aspiring leaders to protect Nigeria’s image globally, especially in view of the destabilizing influences caused by foreign interventions and the spillover effects from conflicts in regions like the Sahel. He concluded his message with a firm appeal to Obi: “#NigeriaFirst.”This latest criticism comes shortly after Sowunmi’s open invitation to Peter Obi to return to the PDP, suggesting that his re-entry could help reshape the party’s chances ahead of the 2027 general elections.
