Former Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi has taken to his verified X (formerly Twitter) account to condemn what he describes as a wasteful and misplaced use of public funds by the Federal Government. The criticism came in reaction to reports that approximately $9 million of Nigerian taxpayers’ money was spent on hiring foreign lobbyists in the United States.
In a strongly worded post, Obi called the expenditure a “national disgrace” and symbolic of a broader culture of waste, corruption, and misaligned priorities in governance. According to the former Anambra State governor, this type of spending prioritizes image management abroad over addressing urgent developmental needs at home.
“It is both tragic and concerning that our leaders continue to prioritize waste, corruption, propaganda,
lies, and negative aspects of development over positive initiatives,” Obi wroteObi argued that poor prioritization of public funds has contributed to Nigeria’s persistent low ranking on the Human Development Index (HDI) over the past three decades, despite the nation’s abundant natural and human resources. He contrasted Nigeria’s stagnation with countries such as China and Indonesia, which have made significant progress in human development categories.
The lobbying contract reportedly aims to shape international perspectives on Nigeria’s security and socio-political challenges, including countering narratives around sectarian violence. Obi contended that instead of spending millions on foreign lobbyists, those funds could be redirected to improve essential services, such as healthcare and education, for millions of Nigerians.
