Debunking the Phantom Debts and Ecological Loan Fallacy
My attention has been drawn to trending claims by the Anambra State Government that my administration left behind inherited debts, including a ₦2 billion ecological loan, contractor liabilities, and unpaid salaries, gratuities, and pensions. This is completely false.
We systematically liquidated historical gratuities and arrears dating back several years, amounting to over ₦35 billion. At the point of handover, the state owed nothing in salaries, gratuities, or pensions, nor did we owe anything to any contractor for projects duly executed and certified.
The ₦2 billion ecological fund in question was released barely three months before the end of my tenure for the Oko/Umuchiana erosion crisis. Despite pressure to spend the money, I refused, insisting that it should be left for my successor because government is a continuum and the funds were tied to a specific project.
The money was therefore left 100 per cent intact in First Bank, in Account No. 2018779464, with a balance of over ₦2.13 billion.
It is important to stress that funds tied to specific projects or set aside for particular purposes were not even included in the over ₦75 billion in savings we left behind.
If anybody can establish anything to the contrary, I will stop campaigning. -PO
Debunking the Phantom Debts and Ecological Loan Fallacy
My attention has been drawn to trending claims by the Anambra State Government that my administration left behind inherited debts, including a ₦2 billion ecological loan, contractor liabilities, and unpaid salaries, gratuities, and pensions. This is completely false.
We systematically liquidated historical gratuities and arrears dating back several years, amounting to over ₦35 billion. At the point of handover, the state owed nothing in salaries, gratuities, or pensions, nor did we owe anything to any contractor for projects duly executed and certified.
The ₦2 billion ecological fund in question was released barely three months before the end of my tenure for the Oko/Umuchiana erosion crisis. Despite pressure to spend the money, I refused, insisting that it should be left for my successor because government is a continuum and the funds were tied to a specific project.
The money was therefore left 100 per cent intact in First Bank, in Account No. 2018779464, with a balance of over ₦2.13 billion.
It is important to stress that funds tied to specific projects or set aside for particular purposes were not even included in the over ₦75 billion in savings we left behind.
If anybody can establish anything to the contrary, I will stop campaigning. -PO
No Objection to Legitimate Scrutiny of My Certificates
My attention has been drawn to reports circulating on social media concerning a legal action by an individual or group seeking Certified True Copies (CTCs) of my Bachelor of Arts degree in Philosophy, awarded to me in 1984 by the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), as well as other academic records and credentials relating to my admission into the University.
I wish to state clearly that I have absolutely no objection to the release of these records.
I respectfully request that the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, within the limits permitted by law, make available, upon legitimate request, my academic certificates, records, and other official documents relating to my admission and studies at the University. I equally have no objection to other educational institutions, within and outside Nigeria, which I attended, making my academic records available in accordance with applicable laws and procedures.
I believe strongly in transparency and accountability, particularly for those who seek the privilege of public office. Public scrutiny must, however, be fair, lawful, and applied consistently to everyone who seeks to lead our nation.
As a presidential candidate seeking the trust of Nigerians to lead our country, I welcome legitimate public interest in my background, qualifications, and record. I am prepared to subject myself to the level of scrutiny that should reasonably be expected of anyone seeking the highest office in our country. Those who seek to lead must be willing to demonstrate, through both their words and actions, that they have nothing to conceal from the people they aspire to serve.
In that same spirit, I encourage every presidential candidate to make their educational qualifications and relevant records available for legitimate public scrutiny. Doing so should not be regarded as an inconvenience or an attack. Rather, it is an opportunity to strengthen public confidence, promote accountability, and rebuild the trust of Nigerians in those who seek to govern them.
Leadership must reflect the values we expect from the society we hope to build. If we desire a Nigeria founded on transparency, integrity, accountability, and respect for institutions, those values must begin with those who seek to lead it.
I therefore welcome the scrutiny of my academic background and remain committed to the principle that those who ask Nigerians for their trust must also be willing to earn that trust through openness and accountability.
A New Nigeria is POssible. -PO
How Hired Thugs Obstructed My Visit to Benue State
Yesterday, I attended the opening of the national campaign office of an opposition presidential candidate, Governor Seyi Makinde in Abuja. My presence was intended to demonstrate that politics can and should be conducted in an atmosphere of mutual respect and civility. As Governor of Anambra State, I made it a point during electioneering to welcome visiting opposition members personally, provided they acted within the ambits of the law.
Guided by that same commitment to decency over partisanship, I travelled to Benue this morning, arriving at approximately 9:00 a.m. on a purely humanitarian mission: to visit the grieving families affected by the horrific killings in Yelwata, where over 270 people were massacred.
Regrettably, our convoy was prevented from proceeding to the community by thugs chanting, “Peter Obi, go back.” It was deeply distressing to witness such hostility. I came to Benue not for partisan politics, but to mourn with our people, to listen to families who have lost loved ones, and to offer comfort at a moment of unimaginable sorrow. That a mission intended purely to show solidarity, compassion, and support could be obstructed in this manner is deeply alarming.
At a time when our nation should be united in grief and resolute in preventing further bloodshed, we must reject any action capable of deepening our divisions. The people of Benue - and all Nigerians - deserve to sleep without fear. They deserve to travel without fear. They deserve to cultivate their land without fear. Above all, they deserve a country where the state places the protection of human life far above political expediency.
Although we were unable to reach the community today, our thoughts and prayers remain steadfastly with the victims, their families, and the entire Yelwata community. We shall continue to work until the primary responsibility of government - the safeguarding of every Nigerian life - is restored. Until then, we cannot truly say we have built the nation our people deserve.
A New Nigeria is POssible. -PO
PRESIDENT TINUBU GOES ON HOLIDAY AGAIN
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has once again left Nigeria for another holiday, this time beginning a three-week vacation in Europe.
Nigeria is in deep crisis. Nigerians can barely afford food and transportation. Insecurity is ravaging communities, and thousands of children are unable to access education because of insecurity.
Just days ago, about 600 Nigerians, predominantly women, children, and the elderly, were reportedly abducted during Juma’at prayers in Niger State.
Yet, at this critical moment, the President has left the country for another holiday.
According to reports, government expenditure on presidential trips and related travel expenses between June 2023 and April 2026 amounted to about ₦37.64 billion, with the President spending approximately 261 days outside Nigeria.
Meanwhile, only ₦36 million was reportedly released to the Federal Ministry of Health in 2025, despite a capital allocation of ₦218 billion, in a country of over 230 million people.
This is the calamity befalling our country today.
A government that can spend tens of billions on presidential travel while critical sectors remain starved of funds, and Nigerians are asked to endure worsening hardship, must not be allowed to continue.
Leadership is about priorities.
When citizens cannot feed their families, move safely, access healthcare, send their children to school, or sleep peacefully in their homes, the President should be more concerned about fixing the country than repeatedly leaving it.
I look forward to a Nigeria where our President can vacation in Kano, Katsina, Sokoto, Cross River State, Bauchi, Ebonyi, and many other destinations across our country.
The President of Nigeria should be the chief marketer of Nigeria as a tourism destination, as other comparable countries do.
Imagine the economic possibilities if our leaders, celebrities, business communities, and citizens travelled within Nigeria more frequently.
Tourism creates jobs. It supports hospitality, transportation, agriculture, entertainment, crafts, and small businesses. It brings investment and foreign exchange and allows communities to benefit directly from their natural and cultural assets.
We cannot continue to export our wealth and import our pleasures while our own enormous potential remains neglected.
We deserve leadership that puts Nigeria first; leadership that cares and plans for a better Nigeria. That is the kind of leadership that the partnership between H.E. Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso and me will bring.
A New Nigeria is POssible. -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
MY ADDRESS TO MARK THE COMMENCEMENT OF THE 2027 PRESIDENTIAL AND NATIONAL ASSEMBLY CAMPAIGNS
21 August 2026
Dear Compatriots,
Members of the Press,
Distinguished ladies and gentlemen,
Wednesday, 19 August 2026, marked the official start of the campaign period for the 2027 Presidential and National Assembly elections.
There is no doubt that this is a defining moment for our democracy. This moment gives Nigerians the opportunity to assess the records, ideas, and plans of those seeking their mandate to lead their country at a time of grave uncertainty in our rapidly changing world.
I consider myself quite privileged to be one of those seeking your mandate to deal with these challenges facing our country.
I enter this contest with one firm conviction: Nigeria can work, and Nigeria must work.
Nigeria faces several serious challenges. Some of them are indeed of existential proportions.
According to the IMF, 63%, or over 140 million Nigerians, live at or below the national poverty line, while humanitarian agencies estimate that 35 million people will need food assistance during the 2026 lean season. About 3.6 million Nigerians remain internally displaced, largely because of conflict and insecurity. Each year, millions of young people enter the labour market, yet too many struggle to find productive opportunities. Weak infrastructure, unreliable power, insecurity, and the excessive cost of doing business continue to burden households and constrain enterprise.
These are more than statistics. They reflect the daily realities of Nigerian families, farmers, workers, students, and businesses.
Yet I do not believe Nigeria lacks the ability to overcome these challenges. We have the people, resources, market, talent, and enterprise. What we must do now is turn these strengths into security, productivity, and shared prosperity.
LEADERSHIP MUST DELIVER RESULTS
My successful private-sector experience, studies in institutions of repute on policy and business matters, and my service as Governor of Anambra State have shaped my understanding of public leadership. Government must manage resources responsibly, set clear priorities, and measure the outcomes of its decisions. Public office is not a reward; it is a responsibility to the people.
In Anambra, I prioritised the foundations of long-term development: education, healthcare, infrastructure, fiscal discipline, and institutional capacity. I do not present that record as perfect, but as an experience from which Nigerians can draw their own conclusions.
Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso brings a different but complementary governing experience.
As Governor of Kano State, he focused strongly on education, technical training, scholarships, infrastructure, and human-capital development. His administration’s investments in education and skills showed an understanding that the people are a state’s most important long-term resource.
Our experiences are different, but our conclusion is the same: Nigeria must invest in its people and manage public resources with discipline.
BUILDING AN ECONOMY THAT WORKS
Nigeria needs more than reactive reforms. We must focus on the questions that matter:
Are Nigerians better off than they were four years ago? Can they afford food, education, and healthcare? Can businesses produce, expand, and create jobs? Can young people find productive work? Can farmers work safely and get their produce to market?
'I Never Said Military Should Reject Salary Increase'.
I wish to address a recent
report that falsely attributes a statement to me, suggesting that Nigerian soldiers should refuse any salary increments until after the elections. This assertion is entirely untrue.
My profound respect for our security forces, particularly the Nigerian Army personnel who diligently serve and protect our nation under challenging conditions, is unwavering. I have consistently advocated for the adequate provision of equipment, motivation, and protection for our security personnel.
My concern was palpable when soldiers were lost to insurgents due to a delayed rescue effort, prompting me to question how those defending us could be left vulnerable in their time of need.
Should I be elected President, the well-being, resources, safety, and honour of our soldiers will be a paramount priority. Those who ensure Nigeria's security must never be relegated to a secondary concern. Our soldiers are deserving of our utmost respect, unwavering support, and a government that will unequivocally stand by them. Under my leadership, scenarios where our servicemen and women are left unprotected in the face of peril will be eradicated.
I implore the Nigerian populace to dismiss this misleading report. I remain committed to articulating a clear and consistent vision for a secure and prosperous Nigeria. The realisation of a new and secure Nigeria is indeed POssible. -PO
🚨🔴⚪️ BREAKING: Bruno Guimarães to Arsenal, HERE WE GO! 🇧🇷
Agreement in place with Newcastle after long talks and personal terms in place with Bruno since July. Fee worth £75m.
New midfielder for Mikel Arteta. 🔜
I commend the Catholic Bishops' Conference of Nigeria (CBCN) for demonstrating courage and patriotism by drawing attention to the realities confronting our nation.
Their concerns regarding the rising cost of living, worsening insecurity, declining public confidence, and the hardship faced by millions of Nigerians are neither partisan nor isolated; they reflect the daily experiences of ordinary citizens across every region of our country.
Nigeria is blessed with abundant human and natural resources, yet millions of our people continue to struggle under the weight of economic hardship, unemployment, insecurity, poor access to quality education and healthcare, and diminishing opportunities. These challenges demand urgent, sincere, and people-centred responses from those entrusted with leadership.
I encourage all well-meaning Nigerians to continue constructively engaging the Federal Government and other leaders at all levels whenever the opportunity arises, advocating for good governance, accountability, and policies that prioritise the security, welfare, and prosperity of our people.
It is through such collective commitment and responsible leadership that we can build a more peaceful, united, and prosperous Nigeria.
May Almighty Allah continue to bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria. - RMK
Hunger and the Insensitivity of Mr. President
I watched with deep concern the statement made by President Bola Tinubu to the Catholic Bishops who visited his office, that there has always been hunger in Nigeria, even before he was born.
While it is true that hunger has been a part of human life and has existed in our country for decades, such a statement appears insensitive to the plight of the millions of Nigerians who face worsening economic hardship today. More importantly, we must focus on the facts and the measurable outcomes of governance.
Before the present administration assumed office in 2023, an estimated 17 million Nigerians were facing acute food insecurity, primarily caused by insecurity, armed conflict, widespread banditry, and devastating floods. Today, less than three years later, that number has risen to about 35 million Nigerians. Instead of improving the situation, the crisis has worsened significantly under the current administration.
The same trend is evident in poverty. Before this government took office in 2023, Nigeria’s extreme poverty was estimated at 87 million people. Current projections suggest that this number is approaching 140 million people, making Nigeria home to the largest population of people living in extreme poverty anywhere in the world.
No one disputes that this administration inherited serious challenges. However, leadership is measured not by the challenges inherited but by the results achieved. The government must honestly acknowledge that its response has fallen far short of what the situation demanded, with millions more Nigerians pushed deeper into poverty and hunger.
The combination of persistent insecurity, poor economic management, fiscal indiscipline, wasteful public expenditure, and inadequate investment in productive sectors has compounded the suffering of ordinary Nigerians.
A responsible government must prioritise investment in education, healthcare, agriculture, security, and small businesses while pursuing policies that create jobs, expand production, and lift people out of poverty. That remains my commitment to the Nigerian people.
A New Nigeria is Possible. PO
🚨🔴⚪️ Christos Tzolis to Arsenal, here we go! Deal signed between the two clubs for €40m fee, Club Brugge authorize Christos for medical.
New winger for Arteta as Tzolis only wanted Arsenal, saying no to other clubs. Deal done, as @dimitrismanakos reported.
👀 #AFC also working hard on Morgan Rogers behind scenes.
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
Suspension of Examination Fees: A Victory for the People
I received the welcome news of the suspension of the newly introduced examination fees with relief. This is a victory for the Nigerian people.
While I commend the authorities for listening to the widespread public outcry and suspending the policy, it must be said that the fee was an unnecessary burden that should never have been introduced at this time of great hardship, when we should be doing everything possible to invest in basic education and reduce the millions of out-of-school children in Nigeria.
At a time when many families are struggling to make ends meet, access to education should be expanded, not restricted. Education is a fundamental right and a public good, not a source of government revenue.
Imposing multiple fees at the basic education level risks denying many children their right to education. At that stage, the State has a duty to invest in educating and preparing its citizens for productive lives, not to erect financial barriers that keep them out of school.
True leadership is demonstrated not only by making decisions but also by having the humility to reverse policies that impose unnecessary hardship on the people. Many other anti-people policies deserve similar reconsideration.
I thank the citizens, parents, and advocacy groups whose voices made this reversal possible.
A New Nigeria is Possible. -PO
The wait is over.
We have 2 golds: Chimdiebube Onwubiko and Don Anele Munachimso.
We are the best in the world!
Egejurum Onyedikachi’s name was omitted. He should have a gold.