Former Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has dismissed government claims of meeting its revenue targets ahead of schedule as hollow and meaningless so long as millions of Nigerians remain trapped in hunger, joblessness, and despair.

In a statement on his X-Handle on Thursday, Obi said celebrating fiscal milestones without improving people’s lives only exposes the government’s insensitivity to the plight of citizens.

“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 government is parading,” he said.

He condemned the government for boasting of excess revenue while ordinary Nigerians endure 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 government celebrates collections,” Obi 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 government to act responsibly and with integrity,” he declared.

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