Former Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi has criticised the Federal Government for failing to pay local contractors, despite President Bola Tinubu’s earlier claim that Nigeria had “met and surpassed” its revenue target for the year.
In a statement titled Let Our SMEs Breathe posted on X, Obi expressed concern over the growing protests by contractors in Abuja and other parts of the country. According to him, many of those affected are small and medium-sized enterprises that depend on timely government payment to survive.
He argued that it was contradictory for the administration to boast about increased revenue while allegedly neglecting essential financial obligations. Obi said this raised questions about transparency and the management of public funds.
Obi noted that the failure to pay contractors has severe economic implications — including business closures, job losses, and increased hardship for families — ultimately weakening the nation’s productivity.
He added that a truly responsible government would ensure that growth in revenue translates into better funding for education, healthcare, poverty alleviation, and prompt settlement of debts.
Obi stressed that paying contractors is a basic test of integrity and leadership, saying, “A government that cannot fulfil its commitments cannot be trusted to build a nation.”
