Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has criticized former Anambra State Governor and 2027 presidential candidate Peter Obi over his remarks that Nigeria would have been significantly wealthier if public funds had been kept in banks to generate interest.
Keyamo, in a post on his X account on Wednesday, dismissed Obi’s comments and suggested that the former governor’s public standing had declined following his remarks.
“Nigeria did not just dodge a bullet; it ducked a massive howitzer!” the minister wrote, intensifying the political exchange between supporters of the Federal Government and the opposition.
Obi had made the comments during a radio interview in Nasarawa State, where he discussed public finance management, accountability and his record while serving as governor of Anambra State.
The former governor argued that Nigeria could have accumulated substantial wealth if public officials had consistently protected government resources rather than allowing them to be mismanaged.
“I wish everybody in this country left money in the bank; they have interest. Nigeria would have been so rich that we don’t know what to do with money,” Obi said.
He also explained that his administration kept public funds in three different banks, presenting the approach as an example of how government resources could be managed responsibly.
On the publicity surrounding government projects, Obi said he believed that projects funded with public money should speak for themselves, rather than requiring elaborate ceremonies or television appearances.
He acknowledged, however, that his approach might have been wrong.
Keyamo’s reaction has added another dimension to the political debate surrounding Obi’s record in office and his proposed approach to managing Nigeria’s resources ahead of the 2027 elections.
The exchange comes amid wider discussions about public accountability, prudent spending, the management of government revenue and how political leaders should demonstrate their achievements to Nigerians.
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