Peter Obi Criticizes Governors, Citing Atlanta Mayor’s $10 Million Net Worth Without Sirens or Entourage

Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has sharply criticized Nigerian political leaders for their extravagant displays of power despite managing significantly smaller budgets compared to counterparts abroad.

In a post on X (formerly Twitter) on Thursday, Obi shared insights from his ongoing three-day trip to the United States, which included visits to Atlanta, Washington, and Chicago.

He pointed out that Atlanta, with an annual city budget of approximately $3 billion, generates more revenue than Nigeria’s entire national budget. Yet, its mayor, Andre Dickens, maintains a notably modest public presence.

Obi recalled traveling on the same flight with Mayor Dickens from Atlanta to Washington, observing that the mayor received no special treatment—boarding and disembarking like any other passenger, without aides carrying bags, no sirens, announcements, or large entourages.

“In Nigeria, governors, most of whom oversee budgets smaller than Atlanta’s—and even local government chairmen, whose allocations are less than 1% of Atlanta’s—would have constituted a public nuisance with sirens, protocol officers, endless announcements, large entourages, and posters everywhere,” Obi remarked.

He urged Nigerian leaders to rethink their approach to public conduct, emphasizing the need to prioritize service delivery over showmanship. Obi praised Dickens’ focus on addressing crime, creating youth opportunities, and implementing a minimum wage of $15 per hour for council workers as examples of effective leadership.