Obi Under Fire for Praising Argentina’s Harsh Reforms While Criticising Nigeria’s Policies

The Presidency has faulted former presidential candidate Peter Obi for what it describes as a glaring inconsistency in his stance on economic reforms, after he likened Nigeria’s current policy direction under President Bola Tinubu to Argentina’s recent fiscal overhaul.

In a statement, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Digital Communications, Engagement and Strategy, O’tega Ogra, argued that Obi’s praise for Argentina’s reforms under President Javier Milei stood in stark contrast to his criticism of similar measures in Nigeria. Obi had commended Argentina’s removal of fuel and electricity subsidies, currency devaluation, and sweeping public sector cuts, claiming they had led to a significant drop in inflation and poverty within two years.

Ogra maintained that the comparison lacked context, noting that Argentina’s inflation was already at 211.4 per cent when Milei assumed office in December 2023, peaked at 289 per cent four months later, and only eased to 39.4 per cent by June 2025. In Nigeria’s case, inflation stood at 22.41 per cent in May 2023, rose to 34.80 per cent in December 2024, and has since dropped to 22.22 per cent.

He emphasised that while both countries are currently in a disinflation phase, Nigeria has avoided the extreme volatility and severe human hardship Argentina faced. According to Ogra, Obi’s endorsement of Milei’s “pain first, stabilise later” approach abroad, while opposing similar reforms at home, reflected a double standard.

Ogra insisted that Nigeria under Tinubu is pursuing a similar path to stability but “with less pain, no extreme human cost, and better numbers,” questioning why Obi would label the same economic prescription as “good leadership” in Buenos Aires yet “incompetence” in Abuja.

The Presidency urged citizens to remain focused on sustaining current reforms, cushioning their impact on the population, and maintaining policy consistency, warning against reverting to gradualist economic strategies that have failed in other nations.