Obi counters Tinubu, defends Anambra erosion record

Peter Obi, presidential candidate of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), has disputed President Bola Tinubu’s criticism of his record on erosion control in Anambra State, insisting that he helped develop the programme currently being used to tackle the environmental challenge. Tinubu had criticised Obi’s tenure as Anambra governor during an All Progressives Congress (APC) rally in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, over the weekend, alleging that the former governor “ran away from erosion” while highlighting environmental projects undertaken in Lagos.

However, speaking on Tuesday during an interview on Rhythm FM Jos ahead of the NDC town hall meeting in Plateau State, Obi dismissed the allegation as untrue. The former Anambra governor said he worked with a former Minister of Environment to develop the erosion-control programme, which he said was subsequently adopted following his intervention with the late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua.

“On what the president said while campaigning in Akwa Ibom, it’s not true. I, working with the former minister of environment, developed what they’re using today to fight erosion,” Obi said. “I went to President Yar’Adua, made a suggestion to him. He called the minister and said he should go and develop it.” Obi governed Anambra State from 2006 to 2014, during which the state faced significant erosion challenges.

At the Uyo rally, Tinubu had questioned Obi’s preparedness for the presidency, citing the erosion problem in Anambra as an example of what he described as shortcomings in his record as governor. Explaining his visit to Plateau State, Obi said it was part of his approach to engaging citizens and understanding their challenges before embarking on campaign rallies.

He argued that political candidates should first listen to the concerns and experiences of the people before explaining how they intend to address them. The NDC candidate also identified insecurity in central Nigeria as a major challenge, stressing the need to ensure that residents could return to their communities, pursue their businesses and engage in farming without fear.

He said his administration, if elected, would prioritise public services, particularly education and healthcare, as well as insurance coverage for vulnerable Nigerians. “Unless children go to school without fear, unless parents go to farms without fear, we don’t have a country,” he said. “You cannot stay in a developing country and a developing world if you have poor health accessibility and poor education accessibility.

Education and health are the foundation for development. I will invest in them.”