My Visit to the Nigerian Air Force Facility
Further to my message yesterday, I visited the Nigerian Air Force facility in Abuja today to formally sign the condolence register following the unfortunate aircraft crash.
The visit gave me another opportunity to reflect on the sacrifices made daily by the men and women of our Armed Forces and other security agencies in the line of duty. These courageous Nigerians put their lives on the line to defend our nation and protect our people. We must never take their service and sacrifice for granted.
I extend my deepest condolences to the Nigerian Air Force and to the families, colleagues, and loved ones of those who lost their lives.
May God grant eternal rest to the departed and give their families the strength and fortitude to bear this painful loss.
May God continue to protect all those who serve our country. -PO
IN CONCLUSION OF MY VISIT TO SOKOTO STATE
Yesterday, 29th September, in continuation of my two-day visit to Sokoto State, I had extensive consultations and discussions with various groups from across the state on insecurity, out-of-school children, endemic poverty, youth unemployment, drug prevalence, and other issues affecting our people in this part of the country.
My final engagement was a visit to the Ramin Kura IDP Camp in Sokoto North LGA, within the Sokoto metropolis, which is currently housing over 1,000 internally displaced persons.
During my tour of the facility, I found it particularly distressing to see Nigerians crammed into makeshift shelters and thatched rooms, with some rooms housing as many as 10 persons. The camp also lacks adequate toilet facilities, a primary healthcare centre, and even a basic school for the children.
I have always insisted that as long as even one Nigerian lives in an IDP camp, we are all internally displaced. Therefore, the government of today must work assiduously to make the temporary accommodation for our dear citizens living in these camps comfortable, while ensuring that all the underlying security issues that created these conditions in the first place are resolved, to enable them to return to their ancestral homes.
This is my 12th visit to IDP camps across Nigeria, and, just like in the others, I am committing to continuously supporting these Nigerians for as long as it takes.
This is why I continue to say that the President’s and political office holders’ holidays must be within Nigeria, so that they can see first-hand the difficulties faced by these fellow Nigerians, whose vulnerability has been worsened by the failure of government to prioritise critical areas of development.
Let me seize this opportunity to again call on the government and the relevant agencies to immediately look into the plight of these citizens and address their pressing needs.
A New Nigeria is POssible and will be OK.
Yesterday, I spoke with ARISE News on the Anambra debt question and other issues affecting our nation.
In the interview, I clarified the facts surrounding the multilateral development funds accessed by Anambra State, the financial position I left behind in 2014, and the urgent need to focus on the hardships confronting Nigerians rather than on political distractions. I am Sharing this interview to correct factual details, clear all doubts, and put the issues in their proper perspective.
A new Nigeria where leaders are proud of their past is POssible. -PO
https://t.co/kvURszM91q
ON THE ANAMBRA DEBT QUESTION
I have remained silent over the past few days because I have been grieving the loss of my very dear elder brother and friend, Chief Okey Ezeibe. However, the time has come for me to address some of the matters that have occupied public discussion in recent days.
I respectfully urge everyone to concentrate on the existential challenges confronting Nigeria and the hardships endured by its citizens, rather than on the needless distractions that have become widespread in our politics.
I wish to assure the public that I have no disagreement with my dear elder brother, Governor Soludo, or with any governor in Nigeria. I am not seeking the office of governor in any state, and I will not seek that position again, even if the Constitution is amended.
Accordingly, I appeal to governors to support whichever presidential candidate they choose while also permitting and assisting other presidential candidates and contenders for other offices to campaign freely and without interruption in their states. Ultimately, voters should be allowed to determine whom they wish to serve them.
Regarding the multilateral funding inaccurately described as “debt owed by Peter Obi” in Anambra State, I wish to state unequivocally:
As Governor of Anambra State, I did not approach any financial institution to borrow funds or issue a bond on behalf of the state. Indeed, at his farewell ceremony, the then Director-General of the DMO, Abraham Nwankwo, appointed me chairman and declared that, during his 10 years in office, I was the only state governor who had not approached him for a loan facility.
When I left office, the Anambra State Government owed no unpaid salaries, gratuities, or pensions. Neither did it owe any contractor or supplier who had completed work that the government had verified and certified.
Regarding development financing from the World Bank, these are concessionary development-support funds secured by the Federal Government for states selected by it to address specific needs. Repayment is spread over 25 to 30 years.
The Anambra State Government must therefore differentiate among three separate figures: the total amount approved for the multiyear development program; the amount Anambra State actually drew during my tenure; and the funding balance outstanding when I handed over on 17 March 2014.
The government has combined these distinct categories, added them together, and described the resulting US$123.77 million as “loans left by Peter Obi.” That is an incorrect application of public-sector accounting.
The eight facilities identified were primarily World Bank and IFAD development programs negotiated by the Federal Government, with participating states receiving access to the funds through subsidiary arrangements. They were not conventional commercial loans that I personally secured during my tenure.
This does not suggest that Anambra had no repayment responsibilities; rather, each facility must be examined in light of its approval, effectiveness, drawdown, and repayment record.
The clearest contradiction appears in the government’s own figures. It states that the original facilities amounted to approximately US$123.77 million and that US$92.35 million remained outstanding in June 2026. However, the DMO’s published records showed Anambra’s total external debt at approximately US$18 million when I began my tenure in March 2006, about US$30 million in March 2014, when I left office, and approximately US$45.15 million as of 31 December 2014, nine months after my departure.
The Anambra State Government must therefore clarify how a state whose recorded external debt was about US$30 million in March 2014 and US$45.15 million in December 2014 could supposedly have inherited US$123.77 million from Peter Obi, who left office in March of that same year.
I made a website about @PeterObi. It details his entire life, his roots, offices held, source of wealth, documented donations, achievements as a governor, and more.
When they ask you what Peter Obi did as governor, send them https://t.co/MJy4SuUuXH
Retweet this to get it far!
MY VISIT TO PORT HARCOURT
Yesterday, after attending Daily Times at 100th in Abuja, I travelled to Port Harcourt for a rousing reception from our party members, led by our Governorship Candidate in Rivers State, Chief Barr. Dumo Lulu-Briggs. The leadership of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) is to attend the NDC Obi-Talks, a Port Harcourt Town Hall.
The town hall provided an opportunity for an open and engaging conversation with the people. Our questions and answers centered on issues that directly affect the lives of Nigerians, including jobs, healthcare, education, security, and economic opportunity.
I reiterated my commitment to investing in the three critical areas that accelerate the development of every nation: education, healthcare, and pulling our people out of poverty.
We examined the experiences of countries that once faced challenges similar to those confronting Nigeria today, and how competent, purposeful, and compassionate leadership transformed their fortunes.
From Bangladesh and its remarkable progress in rice production, to Indonesia and the growth of its SMEs, and India’s efforts at pulling millions of its citizens out of poverty, the lesson is clear: countries succeed when leadership is competent, accountable, focused, and committed to the welfare of the people.
My greatest elation today came from the renewed commitment I saw among the good people of Rivers State to participate massively in the 2027 elections and, more importantly, to ensure that their votes are counted and the people’s mandate is respected.
Let it be recorded that this time around, the people of Rivers State will vote, and their votes MUST count.
Only leaders who emerge from a free, fair, and credible electoral process can truly be called Excellencies. Rivers State can and should set the pace for excellent, free, fair, and credible elections in 2027.
I sincerely thank our Vice Presidential Candidate, His Excellency Senator Dr. Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso; our host and Governorship Candidate in Rivers State, Chief Barr. Dumo Lulu-Briggs; his team; the Rivers State Working Committee of the NDC; the National Working Committee led by our National Chairman, Senator Cleopas Moses Zuwoghe; and all our friends, supporters, and well-wishers who joined us for this important engagement.
Our task is to rescue Nigeria, rebuild our institutions, and restore hope to our people.
A New Nigeria is Possible, and Nigeria will be OK. -PO
A President and the Endless Question of His Past
As a citizen of no other country, who has never sought foreign citizenship even when doing so became fashionable, my loyalty to Nigeria and my faith in her destiny remain unshaken.
Yesterday, 30th of August, being Sunday, I fervently prayed for our nation and for those entrusted with the solemn responsibility of leadership. I found myself deeply saddened by the direction in which our country is heading.
It is profoundly embarrassing that we have reached a point where a sitting President is asking a foreign court to withhold records concerning his past, particularly records relating to matters of legitimate public interest.
Leadership, in my humble view, demands the courage and humility to confront one’s history — to acknowledge mistakes, provide candid explanations where questions arise, and, where necessary, apologise and seek forgiveness. True authority is strengthened, not diminished, when a leader accepts responsibility rather than seeks to shield uncomfortable aspects of the past from legitimate scrutiny.
This becomes particularly important when questions concern educational credentials. Issues surrounding foundational schooling — primary and secondary — should not remain unresolved or be addressed primarily through legal proceedings. Nigerians deserve clear, credible, and verifiable explanations, especially when such had been submitted in the past.
My deepest concern is the example this sets for more than 200 million Nigerians, particularly the over 30 million young people in schools. The nation’s highest office should exemplify integrity, accountability, transparency, and ethical leadership.
An imperfect past is part of the human condition. What matters is the willingness to confront it with humility, honesty and deep apology, to make amends where necessary and, when circumstances so demand, to place the interests of the nation above personal ambition.
When will our political class fully appreciate that individual ambitions are temporary, while the nation endures? The Presidency is an office held for a season; the moral standards established by those who occupy it can influence generations.
Nigeria is greater than any one person, and the integrity of the Republic must always come before the interests of the individual.
A New Nigeria is POssible. -PO
Osun: When the People Stand, Democracy Wins
I warmly congratulate Governor Ademola Adeleke on his re-election and the good people of Osun State on this important democratic victory. They - Osun people - have spoken with courage and clarity, reaffirming that the power to choose their leaders belongs to the people. Through his commitment to the people, compassion for their needs, and the strength of his work and achievements in office, Governor @AAdeleke_01 has earned their renewed confidence and been entrusted once again with their mandate.
I particularly commend the courageous youths of Osun who rose to the occasion and peacefully defended their democratic mandate. Their vigilance and determination demonstrate that when citizens stand firmly to protect their votes, the forces of good can overcome the forces of darkness.
The lesson from Osun is clear: democracy is strongest when citizens are alert, conscious of their civic responsibility, and determined to ensure that their votes count. Every genuine vote must be respected, and every lawful mandate must be protected.
This is also a clarion call as we approach 2027. Nigerians must remain informed, participate actively, vote, and protect their votes. The Nigerian people are the ones experiencing hunger, deprivation, insecurity, and hardship; therefore, they are also the ones with the power, through their votes, to bring about the change that will end these conditions.
I urge all political actors to place the interests of the people above partisan considerations and to embrace peace, unity, and the rule of law. Elections should never be battles of violence, but contests of ideas, competence, character, and service.
May the Osun experience strengthen our confidence in the democratic process and inspire Nigerians everywhere to remain vigilant and committed to building a just, secure, prosperous, and truly people-centred nation.
A New Nigeria is POssible. -PO
Music is proof that two worlds can collide and still create something beautiful!
We all have a very soft spot for @badgalriri ‘s DIAMONDS, and while creating this, we discovered just how beautifully @folapondis ’ YOU could sound on the same record.
This is the ultimate form of ritual to the Almighty. It is highly spiritual, for those who understand the things of the spirit. This is the highest form of spiritual privilege. The Greatest Mystery of Faith. Elite cleansing, top quality 😭
When he left high school in 1962, John Cardinal Onaiyekan was 18.
His grades were so outstanding, the Premier of the Northern Region, Sir Ahmadu Bello, asked to see him & offered him a free cheque to the best anywhere in the world.
The man said #ThankYou & headed off to priestly formation.
64 yrs later, an #OrganizedCrime ring - led by a man with no verifiable record of having gone to school - wants to do a #RoyalRumble with a man who gave up on worldly things as a teenager.
There can be only one winner & it will not be the criminals!
Roadmap to a New Nigeria That Is Possible – Part II
Education and Healthcare: The Foundation of a Renewed Nigeria
Recall that on July 1st, in Part 1 of "My Vision for a Productive and Prosperous Nigeria," I outlined the broad framework of my proposed roadmap for national renewal. In it, I emphasised that the transformation of Nigeria must begin with rebuilding our human capital through quality education and healthcare, supported by reforms in Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET), character and civic education, and strategic investments that will move our nation from a consumption-driven economy to a production-driven one. I promised to follow up with other parts in the coming weeks and months.
Today, July 16th, in the middle of July, I wish to expand on these two critical pillars - education and healthcare - because they are the bedrock upon which every prosperous nation is built. They are the cornerstones of the foundation that will ensure that a son of nobody can become somebody and remove many from the ranks of the disaffected who often become tools in the insecurity challenges confronting us.
Evidence from around the world shows that quality education and accessible healthcare are among the clearest distinctions between thriving nations and lagging ones. Princeton University Nobel Prize-winning economist Angus Deaton highlights this reality in his book, “The Great Escape: Health, Wealth, and the Origins of Inequality.”
Nothing, therefore, could be further from the truth than the claim by some young people that “education is a scam.” Education, when combined with good health, provides the ladder for individual upward mobility and drives economic growth for the nation.
We must become more intentional about aligning education with our national priorities, as Singapore did, and challenge our country to value education in the same way Deng Xiaoping repeatedly urged China to do from 1978 onwards, with the remarkable transformation we see today.
We will work through commissions that strengthen collaboration among the tiers of government, ensuring that primary education is domiciled at the community and local government levels, with strong parental involvement and curricula that are sensitive to local economic factor endowments and the value chains derived from them.
State governments will be supported to expand high-quality Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET), as well as general secondary education, through targeted grants and incentives.
We are also developing schemes that will enable universities to focus more deliberately on specialised areas of teaching and research, making them globally competitive while producing a workforce equipped for the demands of the future.
A NEW Nigeria is POssible. -PO