By Kazeem Waris
The Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) has urged Vice-President Kashim Shettima to stop attacking its presidential candidate, Peter Obi, over his use of statistics to highlight Nigeria’s economic challenges, asking the Federal Government to focus instead on easing hardship in the country.
The party said statistics were tools for measuring progress and guiding public policy, insisting that a government confident in its performance should welcome scrutiny rather than attack those presenting data.
In a statement on Thursday, the spokesperson of the NDC National Campaign Council, Dr. Chiogo Constance Ikokwu, said the government should respond to Obi’s figures with verifiable evidence.
“The obsession of the APC-led government with attacking the candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Mr Peter Obi, for citing statistics is both troubling and revealing,” the party said.
“Statistics are not insulting. They are not political weapons. They are tools for measuring progress, exposing failure and guiding public policy. A government that is confident in its performance should welcome scrutiny, not wage war against the numbers.”
The NDC cited increases in the prices of petrol, rice, cement and bread since 2023, as well as rising rents in major cities, as evidence of the pressure on households.
It said petrol, which averaged N238.11 per litre in May 2023, now sells for between N1,300 and N1,435 per litre, while a 50kg bag of rice has risen from about N35,000–N40,000 to between N50,000 and N90,000 or more, depending on the market and brand.
The party challenged the government to publish credible data and explain its methodology if it disagreed with Obi’s figures.
“You do not defeat statistics by insulting the person who cites them. You defeat them with better statistics,” it said.
The NDC also urged the Federal Government to learn from developing countries such as Bangladesh, Vietnam, Rwanda, Morocco and India, which it said had recorded measurable progress in poverty reduction and development.
Citing Bangladesh, the party said the country lifted about 34 million people out of poverty between 2010 and 2022, attributing the progress to agricultural growth, export-oriented manufacturing, microfinance, social safety nets and investment in human capital and infrastructure.
It argued that Nigeria should study and adapt such policies rather than dismiss comparisons with other countries.
As the 2027 elections approach, the party posed questions on whether Nigerians were better off, more children were receiving quality education, businesses were thriving and citizens were safer.
“Governance must be about results, not excuses; measurable progress, not propaganda; and the welfare of citizens, not the protection of political reputations,” it said.
The NDC maintained that Obi was asking Nigerians to examine available evidence and demand accountability, adding: “A new and productive Nigeria is possible. Nigeria will be OK.”
