Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has declared that Nigerians should not be living in poverty, considering the country’s vast natural and human resources. He made the statement during a dinner hosted in his honour by the Abia State Government on Friday at the Government House in Umuahia.
Obasanjo lamented the nation’s persistent economic struggles, attributing them to poor governance and mismanagement rather than a lack of divine provision.
“Nigerians have no business with poverty because God has given us all that we need,” Obasanjo said. “If we are mismanaging what God has given us, we do not have God to blame—we have ourselves to blame.”
The former president praised Governor Alex Otti for his visible strides in governance, describing his leadership as people-focused and transformational. He urged the governor to sustain the momentum, noting that widespread support from the public was a testament to his performance.
“If we had 18 governors like Alex Otti, Nigeria would be in a much better place,” Obasanjo added, reiterating his long-standing concern for the quality of governance across the country.
Highlighting his commitment to national progress over personal sentiments, Obasanjo said, “For me, whether you greet me or not, what matters is that Nigerians get what they deserve—good governance.”
Recalling an incident during former Minister of Transport Rotimi Amaechi’s tenure, Obasanjo revealed that Amaechi was unaware of a previously existing national railway development plan and had to be directed to the archives for clarification.
In his response, Governor Otti expressed gratitude for Obasanjo’s continued support and mentorship, emphasizing the importance of vision and resilience in leadership.
“Once you have vision, you have to keep to it,” Otti said. “It took us ten years to get here. We won the 2015 and 2019 elections clearly, but they were stolen. Many gave up, but I was confident in what I heard from God.”
The evening underscored a shared commitment between both leaders to push for better governance and renewed hope for Nigeria’s future.
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