Published By News Editor
It is the season of daggers as politicians go for each others throats in their bid to outsmart and demarket each other. Former Governor of Anambra State, Dr. Peter Obi on Friday, fired back at the Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike, who had on Thursday carpeted him for defecting from the Peoples Democratic party (PDP).
He said leaving the PDP does not question his integrity and character, as he has never been found wanting in mismanaging public assets under his care.
Wike in an interview on Channels TV’s Politics Today on Thursday had attacked Obi for leaving PDP, saying it showed he lacked character and integrity.
But Obi replied Wike on Friday in an interview on Channels TV’s Politics Today, said “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 added that he left office leaving N75 billion behind because he knew he had to manage public assets entrusted in his care.
“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.