Former Anambra State Governor Peter Obi has defended his administration’s record in basic education, insisting that the state performed exceptionally well in the sector during his time in office.
Obi, who is the presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) for the 2027 general elections, made the claim during an interview with a radio station in Nasarawa State on Wednesday.
The former Labour Party presidential candidate challenged Nigerians to verify his administration’s achievements in education, maintaining that the sector was one of the areas where his government recorded significant progress.
“I was the best in education, basic education as a governor. You can go and check the records,” he said.
Obi cited a visit by Professor Paul Collier of the University of Oxford, whom he said toured several states to assess developments in education and witnessed notable improvements.
Beyond education, the former governor used the interview to highlight his approach to public finance, arguing that Nigeria could become significantly wealthier if leaders prioritised accountability and protected government funds from mismanagement.
“I wish everybody in this country left money in the bank; they have interest. Nigeria would have been so rich that we don’t know what to do with money,” he said.
He disclosed that funds under his administration were kept in three different banks, presenting the decision as an example of prudent management of public resources.
Obi also criticised what he described as a culture in which people who act with integrity are often discredited, while dishonesty is tolerated or rewarded.
“Nigeria is a criminalised place. The criminals will always come together to show what the honest person did,” he said.
He further explained why his administration did not place much emphasis on public ceremonies to showcase government projects, arguing that such projects were financed with taxpayers’ money and their results should speak for themselves.
“We did what we were doing with public money, so the public already see us working, so why are we going to do the ceremony or showing it on TV? Maybe I was wrong, but that was what happened,” he said.
The former governor maintained that responsible leadership should be measured by tangible results, particularly in critical sectors such as education, rather than publicity surrounding government activities.
