Peter Obi, who was the Labour Party’s presidential candidate in the 2023 elections, has described Nigeria as a “crime scene” in reaction to reports of large-scale financial misconduct at the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC).
In a statement released on Friday, Obi referred to the findings from a recent Senate audit, which revealed that between 2017 and 2023, the NNPC had financial irregularities amounting to ₦210 trillion. This includes ₦103 trillion in what was labelled as “accrued expenses” and another ₦107 trillion listed as unaccounted “receivables.”
“There is no documentation. No accountability. No consequences,” Obi said.
He pointed out that Nigeria’s entire national budget over the same period was ₦88.01 trillion, which is less than half of the amount in question.
His words: “This is not just another scandal, it is a clear and damning confirmation of a nation held hostage by monumental corruption.”
Obi went on to describe the situation as “a criminal institutionalised betrayal of the Nigerian people” and warned that it poses “a grave threat to the future of the society our children will live in.”
“No responsible nation can continue to function like this without confronting this truth.
“This criminality masquerading as governance must be stopped and dismantled for a better Nigeria,” he added.
