Former Labour Party presidential candidate and ex-Anambra Governor Peter Obi has sharply criticized the Nigerian leadership over glaring misallocation of funds, highlighting that about N6 billion was spent on constructing a car park for legislators at the National Assembly while critical health institutions continue to crumble. Obi made the comments during an unscheduled visit to the Faculty of Dentistry at the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital (UNTH), Ituku-Ozala, Enugu State.
Obi said his visit was prompted by a letter from the faculty’s re-accreditation fundraising committee requesting financial assistance. After confirming the authenticity with the institution’s authorities, Obi personally donated N15 million to support the faculty and pledged to rally other well-meaning individuals to contribute.
Addressing the students, Obi lamented the stark disparity in governmental priorities. “About N6 billion was spent for the construction of legislators’ parking lot at the National Assembly, and this is a misplaced priority,” he stated. Obi stressed the urgent need to direct resources towards essential sectors like health, describing access to quality healthcare as “the most important aspect of human existence.”
Reflecting on his days as a student at the University of Nigeria Nsukka, Obi recalled how past leadership, such as President Shehu Shagari’s visit, engaged directly with students to understand their needs. He urged current leaders to refocus on providing adequate facilities and support to students rather than indulging in extravagant projects detached from the populace’s immediate needs.
Obi further remarked on the decay across Nigerian health institutions despite their pivotal role in nurturing professionals who contribute nationally and globally. Having attended prestigious institutions such as Oxford, Harvard, and Cambridge, he insisted that a functional university must have proper facilities to meet accreditation and educational standards.
His visit underscores growing concerns over leadership failures contributing to the neglect and deterioration of Nigeria’s healthcare infrastructure an issue Obi has consistently spotlighted since his 2023 presidential campaign.
The contrast between heavy spending on legislative infrastructure and scant attention to healthcare signals a need for urgent budgetary reorientation if Nigeria is to meet its developmental and social welfare goals.
