“Misplaced Priority”: Peter Obi Slams Nigeria’s 749-Man COP30 Delegation

Former Labour Party presidential candidate in the 2023general elections, Peter Obi, has frowned at the large number of delegatesNigerian government sends to international functions. In a post on his verified X handle on Saturday, Obi arguedthat such is a misplaced priority, given that about 150 million Nigerians livein multidimensional poverty, struggling daily with food insecurity, inadequatehealthcare, and limited access to basic services. The former Anambra State governor said Nigeria cannotcompare herself with China which has larger population and larger GDP than her. He added that the nation’s participation on theinternational stage must reflect responsible leadership, one that trulyprioritises the needs of its people and demonstrates the country’s genuinecapacity to engage meaningfully in global climate action. “Again, in a bitter twist of irony, we thank Nigeria forhaving the third-largest delegation at COP30, with 749 delegates, similar toChina with 789 delegates. While Nigeria needs to have a strong voice in global climatediscussions, this spectacle comes at a heavy cost to our people, with about 150million living in multidimensional poverty, struggling daily with foodinsecurity, inadequate healthcare, and limited access to basic services. “Yet, our leaders travel in large numbers, funded bytaxpayers, attending climate talks abroad while the citizens they are meant toserve continue to suffer. “Compared to China, which had about the same contingency,China has a high HDI, while Nigeria has a low one, with a key measure of lifeexpectancy at the lowest 54 years, against China’s 79 years. China’s GDP standsat $18.74 trillion, while Nigeria’s GDP is barely 1% of that size, a littleover 200 billion dollars. China’s GDP per capita is about $13,300, whereas thatof Nigeria is below 10% of that, reflecting the deep economic disparity betweenthe two nations. “Moreover, 63% of Nigerians live in multidimensionalpoverty, which is about 150 million people, the highest number in the world,facing deprivations in health, education, and living standards, while it isonly 3.9% in China; meanwhile, China’s population is about seven times largerthan ours. “This stark contrast illustrates why Nigeria should not besending a delegation of this size. The human and financial resources expendedon hundreds of officials travelling abroad could instead be directed towardurgent social investments at home, improving healthcare, education, and livingconditions to lift our people out of poverty,” he wrote.

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