The presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi, has disclosed why he refused N400 million, vehicles and houses offered him when he was chairman of Nigeria’s Security and Exchange Commission (SEC) and Fidelity Bank.
Newsonline reports that the former governor of Anambra State, who has won the admiration the youths and Nigerian professionals said stealing and misuse of government finances would not be possible except if a governor has hand in it.
Peter Obi stated that his desire for transparent governance criss-crossed from his time as chairman of SEC and Fidelity Bank to his time as governor of Anambra State.
He stated this in London in an interaction with Nigerians in the United Kingdom.
He said, “It is a governor that will approve what he will steal. Forget about being in government, I was chairman of Fidelity bank, I was the only chairman they did not buy vehicle for. That is the chairman’s vehicle.
“I was living in a place called FESTAC. I was the only chairman of a bank that was living in EFSTAC. Every other chairman was living in Ikoyi or Victoria Island.
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“The bank even told me that my lifestyle is affecting their operative…the bank survived and they are doing well.
“I was chairman of SEC (Security and Exchange Commission). People think it was only about government. I was the only chairman they did not buy car for.
The day I came there, they showed me a vehicle, gave me over N400 million. It was supposed to be my housing for five years… I told them I don’t want.”
The former governor had been praised by Nigerians who described him as a transparent politician that the country needs for fixing the endemic corruption in the country.
This praise followed Peter Obi’s statement in one of his interviews in the United State where he said, “I received over half a trillion naira as governor. If you can trace where 1% of it was missing, I will stop campaigning.”
The Labour Party presidential candidate is contesting for president of the West African country Nigeria along with a former vice president of the country, Atiku Abubakar, under the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP); and Bola Ahmed Tinubu, a former governor of Lagos state, under the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
On the 28 pf September, the country’s electoral body, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is expected to lift the ban on political campaigns ahead of the February 25 presidential election.
