Obi Slams FG Over “Empty Promises” After Nigeria’s No-Show at TICAD9

Former Anambra State Governor Peter Obi has criticised the federal government following reports of empty Nigerian booths at the Ninth Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD9) in Japan.

In a statement on Wednesday, Obi described the vacant booths as more than a diplomatic oversight, calling them a “symbol of hollow governance” and directly reflecting the government’s failure to deliver on its promises over the past two years.

“The empty Nigerian booths in the ongoing TICAD9 do not just define the empty promises of this government, they also reflect the consistent emptiness Nigerians have been fed at home,” Obi said.

He dismissed official explanations citing “strategic engagements” as an excuse that has become a recurring justification for poor performance. “This government has mastered the art of throwing around wrong statistics and misleading statements, not to provide real solutions, but to camouflage the emptiness of its performance and the suffering it has inflicted on Nigerians,” Obi added.

TICAD, a key platform for Africa-Japan cooperation, hosts countries and institutions showcasing investment opportunities and forging bilateral partnerships.

“The truth is unavoidable, the empty booths abroad are a physical reminder of the empty promises at home,” Obi renewed his call for transformative leadership while stating that “A New Nigeria is POssible.”