Peter Obi Urges UK-Based Nigerians to Challenge Poor Governance as Remittance Remarks Spark Debate
Peter Obi, the 2027 NDC presidential candidate, has urged his UK supporters to stop sending money to Nigeria, advocating for a change in leadership. He emphasized supporting financially disciplined leaders, citing his own record as Anambra governor, and condemned the diversion of public funds by corrupt politicians which he links to Nigeria's lack of essential services.
Peter Obi, presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) for the 2027 election, has urged Nigerians living in the United Kingdom to encourage relatives at home to support leaders who demonstrate accountability and responsible management of public funds. He appealed during a town hall meeting with diaspora supporters in Manchester, arguing that financial assistance from abroad may ease immediate hardship without addressing the governance failures contributing to it. “You have people at home in Nigeria today who are begging you for money. Tell them no!” Obi said, adding that Nigerians should demand leadership capable of improving the country’s economic conditions.
His remarks drew attention to the relationship between diaspora remittances, household hardship and political accountability ahead of the 2027 elections. Drawing on his tenure as governor of Anambra State from 2006 to 2014, Obi defended his record in managing public resources, claiming that no other governor had saved 10 per cent of the amount he accumulated. “I’m not saying I’m a saint, but I saved money,” he said, arguing that Nigeria could begin addressing corruption by supporting leaders with comparatively stronger records of financial discipline.
He also accused public officials of diverting funds that should have supported essential services, including schools and hospitals, while allegedly using misappropriated money to acquire properties abroad. Obi maintained that Nigeria’s development depended on confronting the underlying causes of poverty and poor public services rather than relying on financial support from relatives overseas.
The comments attracted criticism from the Labour Party, New Nigeria Peoples Party and Social Democratic Party, whose representatives argued that discouraging remittances could hurt families relying on money from abroad for food, education and medical expenses. In response, the Peter Obi Media Reach clarified that Obi was not asking Nigerians abroad to abandon their families but advocating a country where citizens would not have to depend on relatives overseas to meet basic needs.
The clarification reframed his message as a call for better governance rather than a blanket rejection of family support. The debate has since highlighted the tension between the immediate role of diaspora remittances in supporting vulnerable households and the broader demand for public accountability and sustainable economic improvement.