I wonder why one person should own houses in Ikoyi, Asokoro, Dubai – Gov Peter Obi

According to Vanguard, Chairman of South-East Governors' Forum and Anambra State Governor, Mr Gov Peter Obi, said on Sunday that he would retire from active politics at the expiration of his second term in February next year.

The governor spoke in Enugu during the thanksgiving service and award ceremony to mark the end of the 2nd Session of the 15th Synod of Anglican Diocese of Enugu at St. Bartholomew's Church, Asata, Enugu.

He lamented that the level of greed among political office holders in the country was very disturbing, saying it was wrong to use public funds to amass wealth whereas the poor masses were left in abject poverty.

His words: "A very prominent person called today and asked me: what is your plan concerning politics after your current tenure? I'm telling you now what I told him.

"For me, I have come to the end of it; I want to quit and rest. However, I have been praying to God that for the sake of the good people of Anambra State, please give them somebody like Peter Obi.

"The level of greed in Nigeria is overwhelming, where people can't see the suffering of other people, they are just accumulating wealth. For me, it is time to go.

"I wonder why one person should own houses in Ikoyi, Asokoro, Dubai and he is not using them for anything. People accumulate what they don't need. It is madness. The level of greed in Nigeria is intolerable.

"I want all of us to be praying for Nigeria, so that God will touch the heart of our leaders to use public money for the people. In Anambra State, we have never borrowed money, despite all the works we are doing but we have continued to do good for our people."

Cost of running gov's office

Obi, whose speech was greeted with a loud applause from the congregation, further lamented the level of financial waste in government, stressing that the cost of running a governor's office in Nigeria was too much.

"When I came in as governor, I discovered that the state had 70 workers in Abuja liaison office. Apart from their salary, we spend close to N15 millionmaintaining that office. They have nothing doing there than to come to the airport and welcome me whenever I visited, constituting nuisance. So we re-deployed the workers and closed down the place. Till date, we have not missed them, which means they were really doing nothing there.

"I urge all of us to pray for greedy people in this country; they are accumulating what they don't need, stop accumulating things for your children," he charged politicians, stressing that he had never bought a car for any of his children.

"I have told them to buy cars when they make their money. I have also never celebrated birthday for them. They can do that when they leave my house. We should stop wasting public fund."

The Anglican Bishop of Ijebu South West, Rt. Rev. Dr. Babatunde Ogunbanwo had earlier in his homily charged Christians to have a right view of Jesus Christ in order to overcome the challenges of life.

Speaking on the theme "overcoming the challenges of the time", at the service presided over by the Bishop Emmanuel Chukwuma of the Enugu Diocese, Bishop Ogunbanwo observed that the society was no longer conscious of good virtues, stressing that lesbianism, homosexuality, nudity, terrorism, suicide bombing and greed had all become part of life.

"Therefore, you must make deliberate effort to remain focused as a Christian, you must have a right view of the world and your position", he advised.

Highlight of the event was presentation of award to the Deputy Speaker of the House of Reps, Hon. Emeka Ihedioha, Prince Engr. Arthur Eze and Unoma Ekaete Akpabio, wife of Akwa Ibom State Governor, Godswill Akpabio.