The presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, has revealed how he reduced the cost of governance while serving as governor of Anambra State.
According to the politician, he deliberately avoided unnecessary spending and travelled without the large entourage usually associated with public officials.
Obi disclosed this on Monday while speaking in Washington, D.C., United States, where he discussed measures he adopted to reduce government expenditure during his tenure as governor.
The former Anambra State governor said he rejected inflated budgets for the renovation of his official facilities, explaining that projects were completed for significantly less than the amounts originally provided for in the budget.
“When I was governor, the budget for refurbishing my office was ₦298 million, but I did everything with ₦48 million. There was also a budget of ₦486 million to refurbish my house, but I completed everything with ₦81 million,” Obi said.
He also spoke about the cost associated with official travels, saying he refused to travel with the number of people that could ordinarily accompany a governor on official trips.
“As a governor, you are supposed to travel with 30 people to several places. Over the years I was governor, I didn’t use 16 percent of my travel allowance because I wasn’t travelling with anybody. I was the only person invited; nobody invited them,” he said.
The NDC candidate has repeatedly argued that Nigeria’s limited resources should be directed towards productive sectors capable of improving the living conditions of citizens.
The former governor recently travelled to Germany and the United Kingdom for a series of engagements focused on issues including democracy, electoral integrity, poverty, education, corruption and healthcare.
Obi disclosed the European trip in a statement on his social media platforms after returning to Abuja from visits to Benue and Plateau states.
“After returning to Abuja on 8th September 2026, following our visits to Benue and Plateau States, I travelled to Europe, first to Germany and then to the United Kingdom,” he stated.
According to Obi, his discussions with international partners centred on practical steps that could contribute to Nigeria’s development, with particular attention to education.
He said he was encouraged by the willingness of international partners to support Nigeria, especially in the education sector.
Obi described education as the most important investment Nigeria could make in its citizens, stressing that sustainable national development would remain difficult without building the knowledge, skills and capabilities of the country’s people.
He also renewed his call for a change in the direction of Nigeria’s economy, urging the country to move away from excessive consumption and dependence.
“We must intentionally transition Nigeria from consumption to production, from dependence to productivity, from wasteful practices to responsible resource management, and from division to a common national purpose,” he said.
The NDC presidential candidate said his broader objective was to build a country where children would have access to quality education, democracy would reflect the wishes of voters, healthcare would be accessible and public resources would be managed responsibly.
He added that every Nigerian should have a fair opportunity to live a dignified and productive life.
Obi’s latest engagements come as political activities intensify ahead of the 2027 general elections, with major presidential contenders increasingly stepping up consultations and engagements within and outside Nigeria.
The presidential candidate of the African Action Congress, Omoyele Sowore, has also travelled to the United States and Canada as part of a North American tour connected to his 2027 campaign.
The AAC said Sowore’s absence from Nigeria would not affect the #Sowore2027 campaign, maintaining that its activities would continue to focus on what it described as revolutionary transformation, equal rights and justice.
President Bola Tinubu has also travelled to Europe, with the Presidency saying the President departed Abuja for a three-week vacation as part of his annual leave.
His Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, said Tinubu’s first destination was London, United Kingdom, and that he would return to Nigeria at the end of the working vacation.
The political movements are taking place against the backdrop of preparations for the 2027 presidential and National Assembly elections. The Independent National Electoral Commission commenced the official campaign period on August 19, while the elections are scheduled for January 16, 2027.
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