Obi: I governed Anambra for eight years without misappropriating funds

Peter Obi, presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in the 2023 elections, says he left office as governor of Anambra state without misappropriating public funds.

Speaking on Friday during a talk show session with students of Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University (ATBU), Bauchi, Obi said tackling corruption in Nigeria is not as complicated as widely believed.

“We are talking about corruption, but let me tell you, fighting corruption is not as difficult as people make it look,” NAN quoted Obi as saying.

“If you, your wife and children are not stealing, you have reduced corruption by 60 percent.”

Obi said he once chaired a bank at a time when directors were abusing their positions to secure loans for personal gain.

“Go and check any bank where I was a director or chairman, where that bank gave me a loan as a director. Go and check whether there was anything missing while I was there,” he said.

Obi, who governed Anambra for eight years, said he left office “without misappropriating” state funds.

“I served as governor of a state for eight years and I challenge everybody to go and show me where one kobo of Anambra state that I’m not entitled to was linked to me,” he said.

The former governor also insisted that corruption can be addressed quickly if leaders lead by example.

“If I have the opportunity to serve as Nigeria’s president in 2027, I will do so for only four years. It can be less but it will never be more. I will not stay a day longer than four years,” he added.

“People say what can you do in four years? There is a lot you can do in four years because you can bring civility and laws that start good governance in four years.”