Nigeria Would Be So Rich If Everybody Left Money In The Bank – Peter Obi

The Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) presidential candidate, Peter Obi, said Nigeria would be wealthier if its leaders left public funds in banks and let them earn interest.

Naija News reports that Obi spoke during an interview with a radio station in Nasarawa State on Wednesday.

According to him, the country could have accumulated substantial wealth if public office holders consistently protected government funds and let them earn interest in financial institutions instead of mismanaging them.

“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.

Obi disclosed that funds in his administration were kept in three different banks.

He condemned what he described as a culture of dishonesty and the tendency to discredit people who act with integrity in Nigeria.

“Nigeria is a criminalised place. The criminals will always come together to show what the honest person did,” he said.

The former governor further criticised what he described as a reversal of moral values, arguing that people who act honestly are often treated as though they have committed wrongdoing.

“In Nigeria, to be honest is to be a criminal. To be criminal is to be honest,” Obi said.

He added that Nigeria would have accumulated far greater wealth if its leaders had consistently left public funds in banks rather than diverting them.

“We would have been worth so much that we don’t know what to do with money,” he said.

Obi also addressed questions about his administration’s public engagements, saying he believed the results of government projects should speak for themselves because they were financed with public funds.

“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 also defended his record in basic education, insisting that Anambra performed exceptionally well in the sector during his tenure.

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