Peter Obi, the former Governor of Anambra state, expressed his concerns about the failure of leadership in the country.
During his speech to participants of course 4 of the strategic management and policy course at the Nigerian Army Resource Centre in Abuja, Obi, who was the vice-presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2019 elections, emphasized the potential worsening of the situation if individuals with the right expertise and dedication are not placed in charge of critical sectors.
“Public wealth enriches everybody, but private wealth impoverishes the people and the nation,” Obi remarked. “Whether we agree or not, failure of leadership is taking a huge toll on us as a nation and it could be worse if we do not put the right and committed people in charge of the affairs of critical sectors.”
“Education, health and provision of basic infrastructure were my main goals and I was able to record success because we planned our programmes using a universally certified development formula,” he added.
Obi also stressed the need for individuals in positions of power to commit to ensuring good governance and responsible management of public resources in the interest of the public good.
Regarding pensioners being owed, Obi remarked, “owing people at the most difficult times when the opportunities are less is the worst thing to do to them.”
Addressing Nigeria’s debt profile, the Anambra-born politician noted that borrowing is not inherently negative, but emphasized that it should be for production and not consumption.
