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Presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, has said that he left $150 million in Anambra State’s treasury when he completed his tenure as governor.
Speaking on Channels Television’s programme, Sunday Politics, Obi said the amount he saved remains unmatched, adding that no former governor of the state had left even 10 percent of what he handed over.
According to him, the funds would have grown significantly if they had remained intact.
Obi said he was never instructed to save in dollars but chose to build reserves, arguing that honest public officials often face unfair scrutiny in Nigeria.
“Everybody wants to investigate Peter Obi. Seun, I left $150 million. Can any other person who finished here come and say where he left? Nobody asked me to save dollars,” he said.
“Nigeria is a country that has become criminalised, that even those who are honest are now the ones who are suffering.
“The money I saved in Anambra State, if it was there today, it would have been almost getting to a billion dollars.
“There are other people. Show me another person who saved $15 million — 10 percent of what I saved, ”he added.
He also criticised what he described as the country’s criminalised political system, saying excessive government spending and corruption had made public office attractive for the wrong reasons.
The former Anambra governor argued that Nigeria’s high cost of governance fuels the scramble for political positions.
He said any country where public office holders become wealthier than successful business owners had misplaced priorities, adding that governance should serve the people rather than enrich those in power.
Obi pledged to reduce the cost of governance if elected president, citing his experience as governor.
He said he maintained a modest lifestyle in office, using the same Peugeot 404 vehicle throughout his first four-year term as governor.
“There is too much waste in our governance. There is too much corruption. That is why people are fighting to go to office,” he said.
“Any country where people in office are richer than their businesses, there is something wrong. Anywhere where businessmen in the country see people in government as more important than them, that place is not working.”
“We must shut down this waste and deal with the issues that will protect our people and serve our people properly.
“I would cut costs of governance. I’ve done it in the states. In my first four years of being governor, I used four 404 vehicle from beginning to the end, ” he said.
The former governor also explained that prolonged legal battles prevented him from conducting local government elections during the early years of his administration.
Obi, who was impeached in November 2006 over allegations of gross misconduct before being reinstated by the courts in February 2007, was re-elected in 2010 and completed his tenure in March 2014, handing over to Willie Obiano.
He also ruled out making unrealistic promises on electricity, saying he would not assure Nigerians of uninterrupted power supply within four years if elected president.
His remarks come as debate over his record in Anambra intensifies ahead of preparations for the 2027 presidential election.
