The Digest:
Former presidential candidate Peter Obi has lamented Nigeria’s misplaced spending priorities, stating that ₦60 billion used to renovate Abuja’s International Conference Centre and the Vice President’s residence could have purchased about 400 ambulances. His remarks followed an encounter with a Nigerian-trained nurse in the US who shared her shock at the country’s deteriorating healthcare system.
Key Points:
- Peter Obi criticized Nigeria’s spending on renovations over essential services
- He said ₦60bn spent on the ICC Abuja and VP residence could buy ~400 ambulances
- Obi shared a story of a US-based nurse appalled by Nigeria’s healthcare conditions
- She described a hospital demanding payment before treating her bleeding sister
- Obi argued Nigeria is “not poor, but poorly governed.”
- He also noted ₦300bn for a presidential jet could build 4,000 primary health centers
- The former governor called for a shift in national priorities toward necessities
Sources: The Cable
