Obi Failed Anambra, Cannot Rescue Nigeria – SGF Akume

The political heat was raised in Abuja on Friday as the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator George Akume, launched a stinging attack against the former Labour Party presidential candidate and two-term Governor of Anambra State, Peter Obi. Akume categorically challenged Obi’s qualification to seek the highest office, arguing that his governance record in Anambra State did not demonstrate the capacity required to pilot the affairs of the entire nation.

Dependable NG reports that SGF Akume made these pointed remarks while addressing members of the press, focusing his commentary on defending the current administration’s performance and questioning the central theme of “rescuing Nigeria” used by the opposition. The SGF championed President Bola Tinubu’s approach to governance, highlighting the unity and non-sectarian nature of the current government. He urged the political class to see their differences not as division, but as a form of healthy rivalry aimed at national development, taking a cue from President Tinubu’s ecumenical disposition.

“We love this country and we have to borrow from the example of President Bola Tinubu,” Akume stated. “He’s a Muslim but at peace with all of us: Christians, Muslims and traditionalists. Nigeria is a huge country in the move, and under his direction, we know that we are going to reach the promised land.”

The former Benue State Governor acknowledged the tough economic situation inherited by the All Progressives Congress (APC) administration, but quickly shifted to highlight perceived successes. “I know he inherited a very bad economy but we are out of it. Today, our Gross Domestic Product, GDP, has grown by 4.4%,” the SGF asserted. This growth figure, often cited by the Presidency, is used to signal a recovery momentum from the economic turbulence that followed the removal of the fuel subsidy and currency floatation. The SGF positioned this performance as undeniable proof that the current administration is on the right track, despite the lingering economic difficulties felt by the populace.

The most direct and widely quoted portion of his address was the blunt assessment of Mr. Obi’s political ambition. The SGF expressed confusion and irritation at the opposition’s continuous promises of salvation. “What are people hanging around talking about? Coming to rescue Nigeria. Which Nigeria?” Akume queried. He then provided his definitive counter-argument aimed squarely at the Labour Party chieftain: “If Peter Obi could not rescue Anambra, he’s talking of rescuing the 36 states and Abuja.”

This statement reignites the contentious debate over Peter Obi’s legacy as Governor of Anambra State. While his supporters celebrate his widely reported fiscal prudence and the foreign currency savings he claimed to have left behind, his critics, including the current SGF and other APC figures, often point to a supposed lack of aggressive infrastructural development during his eight-year tenure as a sign of failed leadership capacity. Akume did not stop with Obi, extending his critique to other former governors who sought the presidential seat. He dismissed their attempts, stating, “For other people I don’t want to mention their names. They came, they saw, they didn’t conquer even in their states,” a clear adaptation of the famous “Veni, vidi, vici” quote, suggesting that many political aspirants have a track record of regional underperformance that disqualifies them from national leadership. The SGF’s statements reaffirm the APC’s posture that President Tinubu’s reforms, while painful, represent the only viable path to national economic restoration.