By Rareview News Report
“We must continue to work together — governments, civil society, and international partners — to build societies where accountability and justice are the foundation of our future.”
Former Governor of Anambra State and presidential candidate of the Labour Party in Nigeria’s 2023 election, Peter Obi, has recounted how governance reforms and a commitment to transparency persuaded the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) to resume development collaboration with Anambra State during his administration.
Obi made the remarks during his participation at the UNDP Community of Practice for Governance and Peacebuilding Conference in Banjul, The Gambia, where discussions focused on strengthening governance systems across Africa through digital transformation.
The conference, themed “Digital Governance for Inclusive, Transparent, and Accountable Societies,” brought together government officials, development experts, and civil society stakeholders to examine how technology can improve transparency and accountability in public institutions.
According to Obi, his engagement with the UNDP conference came shortly after he addressed participants at the REFELA National Conference in the Gambian capital.
“Today in Banjul, following my engagement at the REFELA National Conference, I had the honour of also joining the United Nations Development Programme Community of Practice for Governance and Peacebuilding Conference,” Obi wrote in a post shared on his verified X (formerly Twitter) account.
He used the occasion to commend the UNDP for what he described as its longstanding support to governments across Africa.
“I sincerely appreciated the UNDP for the invaluable work of supporting governments across Africa,” he said. “Many African states and sub-nations have benefited directly from UNDP’s expertise and support, and I can gladly count Anambra State during my administration as one of them.”
Obi recalled that the partnership between Anambra and the UNDP was not initially straightforward, noting that the agency had earlier withdrawn from the state following the alleged mismanagement of resources provided under a previous administration.
He said the experience made the organization reluctant to re-engage when he first approached them after becoming governor. According to Obi, the turning point came after he requested a meeting with UNDP officials to address their concerns directly.
“We must continue to work together — governments, civil society, and international partners — to build societies where accountability and justice are the foundation of our future.”
“I sought an audience, and we had a thorough and candid meeting where I transparently explained why Anambra needed assistance, why we were committed to reform, and how the stronger governance systems we put in place would ensure that every intervention would be used for the public good,” he said.
Obi added that he assured the development agency that any support provided would be managed with full transparency and accountability.
“I made them understand that our people deserved better, and that we were ready to be held accountable for results,” he said. “I firmly promised that any support they provided would be transparently managed for the benefit of the people of Anambra, especially in the critical areas of development, education, health, and lifting people out of poverty.”
The former governor noted that the meeting eventually convinced the organization to reconsider its position.
“After those discussions, the UNDP agreed to return and work with Anambra State,” he said.
Obi said the outcome of that renewed partnership was highlighted during the Banjul conference by UNDP officials, who noted that Anambra later emerged as the best-performing state in Nigeria in the implementation of the Millennium Development Goals, particularly in health and education.
He said the achievement eventually led to his invitation to New York to present the state’s governance approach as a model for other sub-national governments.
Beyond recounting past experiences, Obi used the conference to call for stronger collaboration among governments, development partners, and civil society groups in promoting accountable governance across Africa.
“We must continue to work together — governments, civil society, and international partners — to build societies where accountability, justice, and shared economic growth are the foundation upon which we build the future we want for our children and generations to come,” he said.
Obi concluded his remarks with a familiar message to supporters and followers: “I still believe that a New Nigeria is POssible.”