Fighting corruption is not as hard as it seems — Peter Obi

• The former governor claimed he left Anambra without any misappropriation of state funds.
• He challenged anyone to prove he diverted public funds during his tenure.

The presidential candidate of the Labour Party in the 2023 elections, Mr Peter Obi, has said political leaders can reduce corruption by 60 per cent if their families are not involved in stealing.

Obi made the remark on Friday while speaking during a talk show session with students of the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University, Bauchi.

He said tackling corruption in Nigeria was not as complex as many people often assumed.

“We are talking about corruption, but let me tell you, fighting corruption is not as difficult as people make it look,” Obi said.

“If you, your wife and children are not stealing, you have reduced corruption by 60 percent.”

He stated that he once served as chairman of a bank at a time when many directors were misusing their positions to obtain loans for personal purposes.

“Go and check any bank where I was a director or chairman, where that bank gave me a loan as a director,” he said.

“Go and check whether there was anything missing while I was there.”

Obi, who served as governor of Anambra State for eight years, said he left office without any link to diverted funds.

“I served as governor of a state for eight years and I challenge everybody to go and show me where one kobo of Anambra State that I’m not entitled to was linked to me,” he added.

He stressed that corruption could be fought effectively when political leaders lead by example.

“If I have the opportunity to serve as Nigeria’s president in 2027, I will do so for only four years. It can be less but it will never be more. I will not stay a day longer than four years,” Obi said.

“People say what can you do in four years? There is a lot you can do in four years because you can bring civility and laws that start good governance in four years.”