Former Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has dismissed government claims of achieving revenue targets ahead of schedule as hollow, arguing that fiscal milestones mean nothing while millions of Nigerians remain in hunger and joblessness.

In a statement on his X handle Thursday, Obi said celebrating collections without improving lives only exposes the government’s insensitivity.

“Achieving revenue targets means nothing if the suffering masses cannot feel the impact. Today, SMEs are collapsing under debt, critical institutions are starved of funds, and retirees — men and women who built and defended this country — are still protesting for their unpaid pensions. That is the true measure of our economy, not the numbers the government is parading,” Obi said.

He criticized the government for boasting of excess revenue while ordinary Nigerians face worsening hardship. “It is shameful that those who fulfilled their obligations to the nation are reduced to begging for what is rightfully theirs, even as the government celebrates collections,” he lamented.

The former Anambra governor urged leaders to channel resources into productive sectors that create jobs, sustain small businesses, and restore dignity to retired workers.

“Our nation must not continue to throw its citizens into debt and despair. It is time for the government to act responsibly and with integrity,” he declared.

Obi concluded that genuine progress will only come when governance is measured by its impact on citizens’ welfare, not abstract fiscal achievements. “A New Nigeria is POssible,” he added.