Former presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi, has criticized the federal government’s approval of ₦39 billion for the renovation of the International Conference Centre (ICC) in Abuja, calling it a glaring case of misplaced priorities.
Speaking in Abuja while unveiling education-focused projects in Chibok, Borno State, Obi expressed dismay at the government’s decision to allocate such a massive sum to a luxury facility while millions of Nigerians lack access to basic necessities.
“This is a clear case of favouring the elite while the poor are dying in droves,” Obi said. “Spending ₦39 billion on a building named after the President, in a country where people can’t access food, healthcare, or education, is a tragic misplacement of priorities.”
The ICC, recently renamed in honour of President Bola Tinubu, is undergoing extensive renovations under the supervision of the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA). Obi condemned the expenditure as extravagant and disconnected from the harsh realities most Nigerians face.
Instead, he urged the federal government to redirect such funds toward critical sectors like education, which he described as a long-term investment in the nation’s future. “Anything done to promote education is not a donation but an investment,” he said.
Obi made these remarks while announcing the facilitation of three educational projects valued at over ₦6 million at the Government Girls Secondary School, Chibok—the same school where dozens of students were abducted by Boko Haram in 2014.
His support included funding for the construction of a borehole, installation of solar power, and provision of a science laboratory. He also donated computers to enhance digital literacy among the students.
The former governor of Anambra State has consistently emphasized education as a cornerstone of national development and has frequently urged the government to prioritize spending that directly benefits the wider population.
