Obi Blames Poor Leadership for U.S. Designation of Nigeria as ‘Country of Particular Concern’
The 2023 presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP), Mr. Peter Obi, has attributed Nigeria’s recent designation by the United States as a Country of Particular Concern (CPC) to poor leadership, weak governance, and mismanagement of resources.
Obi, in a statement posted on his official X handle on Monday, said the U.S. decision should serve as a wake-up call to all Nigerians, warning that the country’s worsening insecurity has reached an alarming level.
“The recent pronouncement by the U.S. government declaring Nigeria a ‘Country of Particular Concern’ (CPC) and indicating possible military action should give every well-meaning Nigerian serious concern,” he stated.
The former Anambra State governor lamented the growing insecurity across the country, citing reports by Amnesty International that more than 10,000 Nigerians have been killed since May 2023.
“The unwarranted and unprovoked killing of Nigerians is most condemnable, and all efforts must be made to bring it to a stop,” he said.
Obi argued that the crisis could have been avoided with competent, committed, and transparent leadership.
“While the insecurity did not start with the present government, what is most unfortunate is the absence of competence, commitment, prudent use of resources, patriotism, and passion on the part of the APC-led government to effectively govern and protect citizens,” he said.
He stressed that Nigeria’s partnership with the United States as two democratic nations should be leveraged to restore peace through constructive diplomacy and collaboration.
“Both countries must work in concert and expeditiously towards addressing the prevailing and disturbing security concerns,” Obi added.
