The presidential candidate of Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) for the 2027 election, Peter Obi, has said Nigeria would have been significantly wealthier had successive administrations invested in improving public infrastructure and preserved some of the funds in banks to earn interest.

Obi, a former Governor of Anambra State made the remarks during a radio interview in Nasarawa State on Wednesday, October 28, 2026, where he discussed public finance management, accountability and his record as governor.

The presidential candidate remphasised the importance of prudent management of public funds, saying such could have substantially improved the country’s financial position.

“I wish everybody in this country left some money in the bank; they have interest. Nigeria would have been so wealthy that we will not know what to do with money,” he said.

Obi disclosed that his administration kept public funds in three different banks as part of its approach to managing state resources.

Nigeria is a criminalised place, he emphasised, vowing to reverse all those of voted into office as the president.

Obi also criticised what he described as a culture in which honest people are targeted, while those involved in wrongdoing protect one another.

“Nigeria is a criminalised place. The criminals will always come together to show what the honest person did. In Nigeria, to be honest is to be a criminal. To be criminal is to be honest,” he stated.

Obi said his administration did not prioritise elaborate ceremonies or television appearances to publicise its projects because they were funded with taxpayers’ money.

“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.

He explained that his administration’s approach was based on the belief that the public could see the work being done without the need for ceremonies to showcase it. Mm

The former governor also defended his administration’s performance in basic education, claiming that Anambra recorded notable achievements during his tenure.

“I was the best in education, basic education as a governor. You can go and check the records,” he said.

To support his claim, Obi cited a visit by Oxford University professor Paul Collier, whom he said assessed educational developments across several states and witnessed improvements in Anambra.

He maintained that responsible management of public funds and sustained investment in education were essential to Nigeria’s development.