Former Anambra State Governor and 2023 Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi has criticised the Federal Government’s reported $9 million spending on foreign lobbyists.
He said the funds represent a misplaced priority and reflect a broader pattern of wasteful public spending and poor leadership choices.
In a statement issued Friday, Obi condemned what he described as the routine deployment of public funds to manage Nigeria’s image abroad while key development needs at home remain unmet.
“This is merely a small example of wasteful spending that has contributed to our nation’s current failing status,” Obi said.
He described the lobbying outlay as a painful reminder of how government resources are often misallocated.
According to him, Nigeria has remained in the low category of the Human Development Index for 35 years, between 1990 and 2025.
He further stated that Nigeria’s worsening development indicators are the result of leadership decisions rather than a lack of resources, arguing that progress elsewhere was driven by consistent investments in human capital.
“The achievements of these nations were not the result of fate, miracles or natural endowments, but rather a consequence of choices and the cumulative effects of good and bad leadership."
He added that the $9 million reportedly spent on foreign lobbyists could have been redirected toward purchasing essential hospital equipment and improving healthcare delivery across the country.
