The 2023 Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has criticised the Federal Government for allocating billions of naira to post-election adjudication while failing to adequately invest in Nigeria’s education sector.
Speaking at a public lecture at Coal City University in Enugu State, Obi described the proposed ₦135.22 billion budget for electoral adjudication and post-election provisions as a misplaced priority.
He argued that such funds could be redirected towards supporting graduates and strengthening the education system, which he said remains underfunded despite its importance to national development.
Obi maintained that Nigeria’s poor investment in education is a key driver of widespread poverty, low human capital development, and the country’s high number of out-of-school children.
He further lamented that education funding in Nigeria has consistently fallen below the benchmark recommended by UNESCO, noting that the proposed 2026 federal education budget of ₦3.52 trillion represents only about 6.1 per cent of the total national budget.
Obi warned against placing excessive emphasis on physical infrastructure at the expense of human capital development.
“We have a government that is concerned about building physical infrastructure without human infrastructure. It is human infrastructure that drives development in countries like China and India,” he said.
In his remarks, Chairman of the event and former Minister of Power, Prof. Chinedu Nebo, described Obi as a credible voice on education, citing his record as governor of Anambra State where he prioritised educational development.
Earlier, the Vice-Chancellor of the university, Prof. Adam Ituma, said the lecture series was designed to foster meaningful dialogue and connect the institution with thought leaders shaping global discourse.
Gideon Arinze
