The Presidential Candidate of the National Democratic Coalition (NDC), Mr. Peter Obi, has reiterated his longstanding position that governments at all levels should prioritise the rehabilitation and completion of existing infrastructure rather than embarking on new projects that may eventually be abandoned.
In a statement posted on his x on Saturday, Obi said responsible governance requires leaders to make prudent use of scarce public resources by fixing dilapidated infrastructure and completing ongoing projects before initiating fresh ones.
According to him, he has consistently advocated this approach over the years despite facing criticism from some quarters.
Obi noted that President Bola Tinubu’s recent caution to state governors against constructing unnecessary flyovers in areas with minimal traffic while neglecting more pressing developmental needs aligns with the position he has always maintained.
He said the President’s remarks underscore the need for governments to focus on projects that directly address the immediate needs of citizens rather than undertaking prestige projects with limited impact.
The former Anambra State Governor, however, urged the Federal Government to apply the same principle to its own development agenda, arguing that several costly and unrealistic projects are being pursued despite the poor state of critical national infrastructure.
He expressed concern over the deteriorating condition of major highways linking commercial centres and food-producing communities across the country, describing many of them as death traps that require urgent attention.
According to Obi, given Nigeria’s current fiscal realities, government should channel available resources toward rehabilitating existing infrastructure and completing viable ongoing projects instead of embarking on expensive new initiatives with limited immediate benefits.
Reflecting on his tenure as Governor of Anambra State, Obi said his administration deliberately completed viable projects inherited from previous governments before commencing new ones, stressing that governance is a continuum and should not be driven by personal or political interests.
He maintained that development should be measured by the successful completion of projects that improve the lives of citizens rather than by who initiated them.
Obi added that effective leadership is about making the right choices by repairing what is broken, completing unfinished projects and investing limited public resources where they would have the greatest impact on the greatest number of Nigerians.
He concluded by reaffirming his belief that “A New Nigeria is Possible.”
