The 2023 Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has taken a swipe at the Federal Government for approving a staggering ₦142 billion for the construction of bus terminals across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones, describing the decision as another clear evidence of “misplaced priorities, poor leadership, and lack of focus.”
Obi, in a statement, said the allocation exposes the government’s insensitivity to the real needs of Nigerians.
“The difference between the success and failure of development in any nation is how you prioritise scarce resources. Approving ₦142 billion for bus terminals while our health sector is collapsing is not governance—it is tragic irony,”* he declared.
The former Anambra State governor highlighted that in the 2024 federal budget, the total allocation for all teaching hospitals in federal universities and the country’s psychiatric centres is less than ₦100 billion.
“It is disturbing that while WHO reports that over 20 million Nigerians are living with mental health issues, the government chooses to channel more funds into bus terminals than into our crumbling health sector,”* he added.
Obi insisted that the move reflects a dangerous disconnect between Nigeria’s leaders and the people.
“This is not about transportation, this is about leadership. Any government that undervalues healthcare and education for cosmetic projects is not planning for the future. It shows a clear absence of priorities,”* he stressed.
He warned that the continued neglect of critical sectors like health and education will only deepen poverty and suffering in the country.
“Every naira misallocated widens the gap between Nigeria and the rest of the world. We cannot claim to be serious about development while ignoring the foundations that make nations thrive,”* Obi said.
He restated his commitment to a different kind of leadership. A New Nigeria is possible. But it will only emerge when we begin to spend wisely, invest in our people, and put competence at the centre of governance” he asserted.
