 |
| NDC Presidential candidate, Peter Obi |
Former Anambra State Governor Peter Obi has defended his decision to leave office in 2014 with about $150 million and ₦36 billion in state savings, insisting the funds were legitimately invested and fully transparent.
Obi said the money was deposited across three commercial banks and that the investments could be independently verified.
Naija Brain reports that the former presidential candidate made the remarks during an interview with media entrepreneur Chude Jideonwo.
Responding to allegations that he lodged Anambra State funds in banks with which he had personal links, Obi dismissed the claims, saying critics were free to hold their opinions but that the records remained open to public scrutiny.
“Whatever you do, people have their views,” he said.
Obi disclosed that when he left office, the state had $50 million and ₦12 billion each in Diamond Bank, Fidelity Bank and Access Bank.
“We had, for example, when I left, I had 50 million dollars in Diamond Bank… Same bank. Does Anambra State have the money? Anambra State savings… 50 million dollars in Fidelity Bank, which is supposed to be the bank I’m involved in… 50 million dollars in Access Bank,” he said.
According to him, the dollar deposits were invested in bonds at publicly known rates, stressing that the investments did not result in any losses to the state.
“Go to those banks. Let me start with the dollar. There are bonds; the rates are as issued. Everybody knows the rates. Go to them and see if there’s anyone who has been shortchanged,” Obi added.
The former governor also challenged his critics to identify any Nigerian state where a governor left office with comparable savings.
“Today, who else has saved? Show me any other sub-national state in this country where a governor has left with savings. One. And I’ll stop running,” he said.