Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has said that Nigerians have no business being poor, looking at the extensive resources at the disposal of the nation.
He said at a dinner organised in his honour by the Abia State Government at the Government House, Umuahia.
According to Obasanjo, Nigeria is well-endowed with resources, but the country is struggling with mismanagement of the resources.
He emphasized that if Nigerians are poor, then not because of lack of resources, but as a result of mismanagement of what God has blessed them with.
Obasanjo praised the performance of Abia State Governor Alex Otti for transforming the state, highlighting the widespread public appreciation of the performance of his government.
Obasanjo encouraged the governor to continue doing a good job and added that if Nigeria had 18 governors as good as Otti, the country would be built.
The ex-president reaffirmed his concern for the well-being of Nigerians and the nature of governance they experience.
According to him, what he cares about is that Nigerians are getting what they should get, which is good governance.
Obasanjo also recalled his past advice to then Transport Minister, Rotimi Amaechi, during his tenure as Amaechi was unaware that there was a plan for national railway development and had to be advised to proceed to the archives to retrieve it.
In his response, Governor Otti thanked Obasanjo for the solidarity he accorded him and reiterated the importance of vision and persistence in leadership. He told his story through his 10 years in politics and asserted that his administration has made huge reforms in the education sector to make quality education more accessible in Abia.
The former Minister of Transport, Amaechi who was at the occasion urged political actors in Abia State to begin making early preparations for the 2027 general elections.
He contended that the value of a quality administration is always known only after a less capable one has taken over.
Amaechi described quality leadership as crucial for development and appealed to the people of Abia to vote for capable leaders like Governor Otti in the next elections.
He warned that if they do not prepare now, they may miss out altogether.
Other dignitaries, including the lawmaker representing Isiala Ngwa North and South Federal Constituency, Chief Ginger Onwusibe, and the acting National Secretary of Labour Party, Sen. Darlington Nwokocha, expressed delight in being part of Abia’s success story.
They thanked Obasanjo for his continued support for the Otti-led administration and commended the governor for the equitable developmental strides across all local government areas.
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