NDC Tackles Shettima Over Obsession With Obi Over Statistics, Challenges Him To Address The Figures And Numbers

The National Democratic Congress (NDC) has criticised Vice President Kashim Shettima and the All Progressives Congress (APC)-led Federal Government over what it described as an obsession with attacking its presidential candidate, Peter Obi, for citing statistics on Nigeria’s worsening economic and social conditions.o
The party challenged Shettima and the Federal Government to address the figures presented by Obi with verifiable facts and alternative statistics rather than resorting to personal attacks and political rhetoric.
In a press release dated November 12, 2026, and signed by the Spokesperson of the NDC National Campaign Council, Dr. Chiogo Constance Ikokwu, the party said the government’s reaction to Obi’s use of statistics was “both troubling and revealing.”
According to the NDC, rather than confront the evidence presented by Obi, government officials and their supporters have chosen to attack the messenger instead of addressing the issues affecting millions of Nigerians.
“Statistics are not insults. They are not political weapons. They are tools for measuring progress, exposing failure and guiding public policy. A government that is confident in its performance should welcome scrutiny, not wage war against the numbers,” the statement declared.
To underscore its argument, the party highlighted increases in the prices of essential commodities and services since May 2023, when the present administration assumed office.
It cited petrol prices, which it said had risen from an average of N238.11 per litre in May 2023 to between N1,300 and N1,435 in 2026.
Similarly, the price of a 50kg bag of rice, according to the party, had increased from approximately N35,000-N40,000 in mid-2023 to between N50,000 and N90,000 or more, depending on the brand and market.
The NDC also claimed that cement prices had risen from between N4,010 and N5,300 in 2023 to N10,500-N15,000 in 2026, while the price of a loaf of bread had more than doubled, moving from N500-N700 to between N1,200 and N2,000.
On housing, the party estimated that urban rents in major cities, including Lagos and Abuja, had increased by between 80 and 120 per cent.
The party consequently challenged the Federal Government to publish credible data, explain its methodology and demonstrate where Obi’s analysis was inaccurate if it disagreed with the figures.
“You do not defeat statistics by insulting the person who cites them. You defeat them with better statistics,” the NDC declared.
The opposition party also drew attention to Bangladesh, which it described as an example of a developing country that had recorded significant poverty reduction through deliberate economic policies.
It stated that Bangladesh, with a population of approximately 178 million, lifted about 34 million people out of poverty between 2010 and 2022, reducing extreme poverty from 12.2 per cent to 5.6 per cent.
According to the NDC, the achievement was driven by five major pillars: agricultural growth, export-oriented manufacturing, microfinance and non-governmental organisations, social safety nets, and investment in human capital and infrastructure.
It argued that Nigeria could learn from the development experiences of Bangladesh, Vietnam, Rwanda, Morocco and India instead of dismissing lessons from countries that had recorded measurable progress.
The party further cited what it described as Nigeria’s worsening poverty situation, claiming that approximately 63 per cent of the population was poor, with more than 140 million Nigerians experiencing multidimensional poverty.
It also referenced a recent United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) report, which it said indicated that previous poverty-reduction gains in Nigeria appeared to have been reversed.
Questioning the country’s development trajectory, the NDC asked how a nation so richly endowed with human and natural resources could record such a significant increase in the number of people falling into poverty.
“In a more organised society, the APC government should have resigned,” the statement added.
With the 2027 general elections approaching, the party urged the Federal Government to respond to Obi’s statistics with evidence rather than political attacks.
It also raised questions about whether Nigerians were better off than they were before the present administration assumed office, whether more citizens were escaping poverty, whether children were receiving better education, whether businesses were thriving and whether citizens were safer.
The NDC maintained that governance should be measured by results and the welfare of citizens rather than propaganda and the protection of political reputations.
“Mr. Peter Obi is not asking Nigerians to believe statistics blindly. He is asking them to examine the evidence, compare outcomes and demand better governance,” the statement said.
The party concluded by expressing optimism about Nigeria’s future, declaring: “A new and productive Nigeria is possible. Nigeria will be OK.”