‘Tell them no’: Obi urges UK-based Nigerians to stop sending money home

The presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress, Peter Obi, has urged Nigerians living in the United Kingdom to stop giving money to people in Nigeria who ask them for financial help, saying continued assistance may ease the effects of hardship without addressing its underlying causes.

Obi attributed Nigeria’s economic hardship to poor leadership and argued that financial assistance does not address that problem, urging Nigerians in the diaspora to encourage their relatives and friends at home to vote for productive leaders.

“You have people at home in Nigeria today who are begging you for money. Tell them no!” Obi said at a town hall meeting with diaspora supporters in Manchester on Sunday.

He argued that people’s continued need for financial help was connected to the country’s economic difficulties, which he blamed on poor governance. In his view, sending money can cushion the hardship people face, but it does not resolve the problems that have left them seeking assistance.

The former Anambra State governor also pointed to his record in public office, saying he had saved public funds during his tenure. He acknowledged that he was not perfect, but argued that his record set him apart from other governors.

“I’m not saying I’m a saint, but I saved money. I’ve not seen one governor who has saved 10 per cent of what I saved. No governor has done it,” Obi said.

He further challenged other governors to match the savings he said he achieved while in office, saying: “I was not the only governor, and I challenge people if one governor can save 10 per cent of the money I saved, but there is nobody that did that.”

The NDC presidential candidate further implored Nigerians to begin by supporting leaders they consider less corrupt. “Let’s start with this one that is less corrupt. That’s how other countries change,” he added.

He also said his conversations with people reinforced the need for collective responsibility, adding that building a new Nigeria would require citizens to take an active role in addressing the country’s challenges.

Obi urged Nigerians to take the 2027 election seriously, describing it as a critical moment for the country.