2023 presidential aspirant and former Anambra State Governor, Peter Obi has retorted that no one can question his integrity over management of public funds/office as he did his best and the records show it.
Obi in a statement on Friday submitted that leaving the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) does not bring his integrity into question or disrepute in any form.
JomogNews Nigeria reports Obi made the submission as a response to Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike who had earlier on Thursday during a TV interview stated that Obi’s decision to dump the PDP a few days to the presidential primaries shows a lack of character and integrity.
But replying Wike’s statement, Obi during an interview on Channels Television Politics Today on Friday said his only offence while in office was refusing to mismanage public funds, hence no one can call him out for lack of integrity.
Obi added that even when has was offered some ‘juicy packages’ while in office, he rejected them and opted to live within his means.
According to him, the politics of sharing money has never been a part of him.
“Wike talks about the issue of integrity. He said my leaving the PDP questioned my integrity, I don’t know how that came about. When we talk about integrity, we talk about it in the management of public assets.
“That is what we should be talking about in this country and when such things are mentioned about me, I feel maybe there is something missing somehow. Go and check my record as a governor, I was impeached for three reasons, one, my office had an approved budget for renovation for N298m and I renovated everything with N43,2m.
“My lodge, to renovate where I live, I got a budget of N486m, I did everything with N81m. Number three is that I was saving money without the approval of the House. From day one I said we must save money, for 8 years I was governor, go and ask any contractor that sat with me whether I inflated any contract,” Obi declared.
He added that the evidence of his integrity and character in managing public funds is the N75 billion he left behind when he left office after eight years as Governor.
“When I left office, I left N75bn as at that time because it is public money and I am managing it on public trust. For me when you talk about integrity, it questions your management of public funds and resources.
“Go to Anambra State today, I have no land given to me by the Anambra State Government, My managing director of my housing authority, Mike Nwafor, is still alive, he gave me land and two houses and I rejected them. Nobody has ever seen me in my political life sharing money at any time. I am not saying I am a saint, but I did things which I believe were right,” Obi added.
