Poverty actually increased in Anambra under Peter Obi – Rufai Oseni

Former Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi's tenure as governor of Anambra State was marked by an increase in poverty levels, according to Rufai Oseni, a co-anchor of ARISE Television’s Morning Show. Oseni cited data from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), which showed that poverty rose from around 40 percent to over 50 percent during Obi's administration. This contradicts some of Obi's campaign rhetoric which claimed he reduced poverty in Anambra.

Oseni said his assessment was based on objective figures, acknowledging that poverty also increased in other parts of the country, including Lagos State under President Tinubu. However, he defended some of Obi's achievements, such as a dramatic improvement in Anambra's performance in the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WAEC), where the state moved from 26th to 1st place.

For the upcoming election, Oseni warned that Obi would need to clearly articulate his policy plans to address key issues like electricity generation, industrial production, healthcare and fuel subsidies. He expressed disappointment that Obi had not presented a comprehensive plan for expanding electricity access and industrial development during their recent debate. Oseni also called for transparency around Obi's healthcare proposals and strategy for managing inflation if fuel subsidies were retained.