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General News of Friday, 3 March 2023

Source: www.mynigeria.com

I had the opportunity to steal but I didn't - Peter Obi

Peter Obi, the presidential candidate of the Labour Party has said he had several opportunities to loot money from the various positions he had held in private and public capacity but choose not to do so because of the needs of the average Nigerian.

Obi made the comment at his first post-election press conference in Abuja on Thursday, March 2. He was responding to a question from a reporter who had asked where his inspiration for politics comes from.

Prior to his response, the former Anambra governor recounted a sad occurrence on the campaign trail where he met a young out-of-school girl who couldn't afford only 75,000 naira to replace her spoilt oven for her business.

His narration of the story got him emotional.

"Ofcourse I get my inspiration from the young girl who doesn’t have 75,000 naira to buy an oven. When people like me can seat down in a place and drink a bottle of wine that cost that amount."

"When people like me have stolen billions of public money that would have bought an oven for that young graduate. So that’s where I get my inspiration. I say I want to build a new Nigeria where tho use youths will have hope"

"I had the opportunity to do what other people are doing. But you have seen that from my corporate world where I chaired cooperations including the security and exchange commission to my being governor of a state, I had the opportunity to do what others are doing but I didn’t do it because we have to leave and show examples."

"I used to resources of the country for the public good."