Politics
THINK TANK: PETER OBI’S ECONOMIC ANALYSIS, SIMPLISTIC, SHOWS A PEDESTRIAN UNDERSTANDING OF THE NATIONAL ECONOMY

The Independent Media and Policy Initiative (IMPI) has described recent comments by Peter Obi, the Labour Party presidential candidate in the 2023 election, on using money to drive economic productivity as not only simplistic but also hollow.
The policy group noted that Mr Obi’s position, which he canvassed in a recent TV interview, shows a pedestrian understanding of the national economy.
In a policy statement signed by its Chairman Dr Niyi Akinsiju, IMPI argued that economic productivity is not a stand-alone item that could be automatically fixed with a single-dose action.
It said: “We do not begrudge Mr Obi accusing the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu of being ineffective in implementing economic policies. We consider his proposition of injecting money into productivity as the singular solution to Nigeria’s economic malaise in the first two years of this administration if he were to be the president, as manipulative and borne of a deficient understanding of historical issues that underline Nigeria’s economic trajectory.
“He claims his silver bullet proposition would lead to a more productive and sustainable economy. Coming from a former governor and one who had chaired the board of a commercial bank, we found this submission puzzling and, at the same time, vexatiously narrow.
“The fact is that productivity is not a stand-alone item in the universe of economic productivity. It is, by fact and praxis, made up of different components and value aggregation.
“Economic productivity, which implies the efficiency of an economy in producing goods and services, is influenced by human capital (education, skills), technology, physical capital (equipment), natural resources, and entrepreneurship.
“Driving economic productivity supposes an overall strategy to streamline these factors and generate the appropriate quantum of revenue to invest in them while considering the period it would take to gestate and impact the economic space.”
The policy group pointed at Nigeria’s economic challenges and wondered what the former Anambra state governor would have done differently from steps taken by the Tinubu administration.
“Since 2014, Nigeria has had to contend with challenges of low revenue exacerbated by policies that continuously erode productivity, such as fuel subsidies and multiple exchange rates.
“Despite the storm associated with the removal of fuel subsidies and the harmonisation of multiple foreign exchange windows, the Tinubu administration expressed a profound understanding of the national economy by conducting the equivalent of a surgical incision on the economy.
Tangential to this is the “injection of money into productivity” single-dose treatment of the nation’s economic malaise advocacy by Mr Obi.
“In an economy characterised by low revenue and huge accumulated debt as of the May 29, 2023 handover date, Mr Obi has left us wondering what exact policy options he would have deployed to achieve his “monetary injection into productivity” policy if he were President.
“To put it in context, we wonder how and what routes Mr Obi would wish to adopt in the first two years of his Presidency to accomplish his vaunted policy if he were in President Tinubu’s shoes.
“This is, more, in the face of a legacy of a fiscally constrained economy that manifests in a trifecta of headwinds witnessed from the second half of 2014 through to the disruptions occasioned by the 2020 Covid pandemic and the gross economic erosion recorded in the Covid era through to the post-Covid years to 2023 when the Tinubu administration, determinedly commenced the engineering of a paradigm change of the nation’s economic template.
“Against this background, we consider it somewhat perplexing that Mr Obi would criticise the Tinubu administration for ‘floating the naira in the absence of productivity while also increasing the country’s debt profile and the cost of debt servicing’ which, according to him, was above the budgetary allocation for critical sectors like health and education.
“We consider this sweeping averment on the character of Nigeria’s emerging economy under the Tinubu administration to be either the outcome of unbridled ignorance about the workings of an economy or a deliberate manipulation of facts and reality to exploit Nigerians’ base political sentiments,” the policy group said.
IMPI added that contrary to Obi’s claims, its analysis which aligns with that of the World Bank shows that there are enough pointers to the success of the ongoing economic reforms.
“Against Mr Obi’s merchant-minded, import-focused understanding of the depreciation of the naira as a consequence of floating the local currency and the diminished value of the naira relative to other currencies, data from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) show that Nigeria recorded in 2024 a total trade volume of N138 trillion or $89.9 billion, the highest in the country’s history, representing a 106% increase compared to the previous year.
“We also observe how the national economy is shifting from a low revenue-earning to an increasing capacity for high revenue generation, as shown in the quantum of revenue available to be shared among the three tiers of government by the Federation Accounts and Allocation Committee (FAAC).
“In 2024, Nigeria’s Federation Account received ₦15 trillion in revenue, with a 43% jump in disbursements to the Federal Government, states, and local government councils. In contrast, N10.143 trillion was received and shared among the tiers of government as statutory revenue allocations in 2023.
In this light, Mr Obi’s conjecture on economic issues shows a truly deficient comprehension of the dynamics of economics and their real-life application, it noted.
The policy group also questioned Obi’s understanding of the constitutional mandates of the tiers of government based on his position on the President taking responsibility for primary healthcare and basic education in Nigeria.
Politics
Kebbi ADC suspends state chairman, two others

The African Democratic Congress (ADC) in Kebbi State has suspended its chairman, Engineer Sufiyanu Bala, along with his deputy, Junaidu Muhammed Mudi, and the state secretary, Hauwa Muhammed.
Speaking to journalists in Birnin Kebbi, the party’s publicity secretary, Jamilu Muhammed, accused the Sufiyanu-led leadership of making decisions without consulting other executives.
“We address you today to announce the immediate suspension of Sufiyanu Bala, his deputy, and secretary Hauwa from the party with immediate effect,” he said.
Muhammed alleged that the suspended leaders allowed Abuja nomadic politicians to dominate the party, a move strongly opposed by the founding members.
“We will not, after tailoring the party to its present status, allow Abuja politicians to dominate it,” he added.
According to him, the decision came after an extraordinary meeting of loyal ADC members and stakeholders who have been with the party long before the coming of Abuja impostors.
The party has appointed Abdulrazaq Abubakar Isah Iko as interim chairman and Adamu Aliyu as acting secretary until a new congress is held.
The Kebbi ADC warned the suspended members to stop identifying themselves as party officials or carrying out activities in the party’s name.
It also condemned political gatherings organised by the suspended officials, saying such actions violate the Electoral Act.
Politics
Ekwunife blasts Soludo, says government House not his birthright

Deputy Governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, in the November 8 governorship election in Anambra State, Senator Uche Ekwunife has warned Governor Soludo to get ready to hand over power, insisting that the government house is not his birthright.
Senator Ekwunife stated this while addressing party faithful in her country home in Nri, Anaocha Council area of the state where she described the administration of the governor as an abysmal failure in all round development and security of lives and property.
“Soludo and I are not at war, what is happening is that what he is currently holding is what we want. The constitution of Nigeria made it four year term for every elected governor. And if you do well, you will be re-elected but in the case of Soludo, it is obvious he has lost touch with governance and that is why APC has presented veritable platform for the people of the state to reclaim their state from APGA misrule.
“The governor, rather than concentrate on positive governance, has been going about crying like a baby, calling my name up and down and we are not losing sleep over his rantings. He has not done well to deserve a second term and that is why the state seems to be on autopilot for four years.
“I make bold to say that Soludo was smart to have hurriedly parked into the uncompleted Anambra State government House, which goes to tell his state of panicky mood of losing this election which is going to happen. But he has forgotten that government is a continuum and when one stops, another person takes over and that is why we presented a veritable alternative to Ndi Anambra.”
Also speaking during the programme, the former Minister of State, Science and Technology, Henry Ikoh described the governorship election in the state as very vital in order to connect the state to the mainstream politics of Nigeria and called for total and massive votes for the party and her candidates, Prince Nicholas Ukachukwu and Senator Uche Ekwunife.
Ikoh said the time for the party to clinch Anambra State has come with the massive mobilization of stakeholders across the state and county in general to support the party and ensure smooth victory in the November 8 governorship election.
Politics
I consulted for 6 months before dumping PDP for APC – Gov Eno

In an interview with Channels Television, the governor said his state can’t be in the opposition after producing the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio.
He said: “I consulted for six months before moving, I didn’t just wake up and decided to move. We have stayed in the opposition for so many years.
“There are enormous benefits to align with the centre. First of all, we have a Senate President in this country who is from here and we have to give him the support to be able to help.
“We can’t have the Senate President in another party and we are here in the opposition, you know how politics plays out here, it will keep weeping up sentiments.”
The new APC member said he believes in the policies of President Bola Tinubu.
He said Tinubu is making much efforts towards repositioning the economy, which was in a bad shape when he assumed office.
“Two, I believe in the programme of Tinubu – this economy was battered and we were really low by the time he took over power.
“We have seen the efforts he is making, the reforms he is making and he should have our support.
“States governments, I speak for Akwa Ibom have benefitted from those reforms and is why we are able to have the funds to do what we are doing.
“If somebody is doing well, you say he is doing well and if he is not doing well we say he is not doing well.
“If I can see him and discuss our issues and he listens to our issues and helps us where he can, why should I work against the President?”
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