Vice Presidential candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in the forthcoming general elections, Peter Obi, has attributed Nigeria’s underdevelopment to corruption.
He made the observation in Calabar, the Cross River State capital, at the 20th edition of Bassey Andah Memorial Lecture, held at the University of Calabar International Conference Centre.
Obi, while answering questions from primary and secondary school children at the event, promised that the PDP would ensure that corrupt people were prosecuted within the laws of the land, if elected into office.
“We will ensure that no corrupt person stays in office. There are enough laws to prosecute corrupt people in Nigeria and make sure that they are no more in office,” he said, promising that PDP at the centre would invest in education, as education was an investment and not an expense.
According to Obi, the more the country is educated, the better the economy. “I have told you about companies like face book, today, the world is not talking about crude oil, it is a baggage economy. The world is now talking about knowledge economy and the reason why China is doing well today, is because they are investing more in education.
“Countries that are educated have better capital income, better livelihood. Nigeria today is a country with the highest number of poor people. Over 90 million poor people and that is why the country is not working.
“In Nigeria currently, 13.5 million children are out of school and that is why our country is not working and so we need to focus on education. We need to do the right budget for education and support it,” he promised.
Obi, who explained that he visited schools in rural areas, even after leaving office as a governor, said he spent at least N2 million to N5 million in such schools, situated in poor rural areas.
On a question by one of the students whether he can visit all secondary schools in the country, if elected, Obi said no, but promised to do his best.
In his words, “No, I will not be able to visit all the secondary schools, but I can tell you that even
now, this is the fifth year that I left office, as the Governor of Anambra State, but yet I visit at least two secondary schools every month and those schools must be in poor rural areas, where government most times do not go. And I spend at least N2 million to N5 million in such schools. I believe in education.
On education malpractice, he said, “We will stop exam malpractice, because it is wrong and one of the worst corrupt activities in our country. A student is supposed to learn and compete. Imagine what would have happened to me, if I was copying from somebody or cheating in exams?
“I can tell you that Nigerians are brilliant. If you look at my little curriculum vitae (CV), you will notice that out of the 10 best (Ivy League) schools in the world that I have passed through five.
“I have passed through Oxford, Harvard, Cambridge, among others. And of-course, the University Of Nigeria (UNN) that laid the foundation.
“In life, when you stop learning, you are finished. And if you must lead, you must be a learner. You must listen to people. I have learnt something from you today (referring to the children).
“One of the children asked whether I will be able to visit all the secondary schools in the country.
And my response is that I will do the best I can, because that is what he desires. I have also listened to the question on exam malpractice and contact with senior prefects of various schools.
The Professor Bassey Andah Foundation is a non-governmental organisation (NGO), duly registered in Nigeria for the primary objectives of executing the management and supervision of research into the published and unpublished works of Late Professor Bassey Andah, establishment of an Education Trust Fund for the education of needy children and orphans in Nigeria Colleges and tertiary institutions, organizing symposia, workshop and conferences in the field of Archaeology and Anthropology and related disciplines.
The theme of the 20th edition of the lecture, was “Corruption and the development of Nigeria.”
