Former Anambra State Governor and 2023 Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has strongly defended his administration’s decision to invest in a brewery, describing it as one of Anambra’s most valuable economic assets.
In an interview on Arise News with anchor Rufai Oseni on Monday, Obi addressed mounting criticism surrounding the investment, stating that the brewery has become the state’s largest source of internally generated revenue and a major contributor to job creation.
Obi, who governed Anambra State from 2006 to 2014, is known for his fiscally conservative approach and emphasis on development-focused governance. However, critics especially from the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) have accused him of leaving the state underdeveloped, with particular focus on his decision to support the brewery project.
“If I tell you what I went through to get that brewery built in Anambra, you wouldn’t believe it,” Obi said. “Today, it stands as the state’s biggest revenue earner.”
Responding to claims that the state’s equity in the brewery had depreciated, Obi dismissed the criticisms as lacking depth.
“Thank you very much. I wish more people in Nigeria had invested in things that ‘went down’ but are still adding value today. That’s not failure,” he said, using sarcasm to underscore what he described as a misinformed narrative.
According to him, the brewery directly employs over 500 people and indirectly supports over 5,000 others through distribution, logistics, and other auxiliary services. “It’s not just about shares. It’s about the broader economic impact jobs, value chains, and local growth,” Obi emphasized.
Drawing a comparison, he noted that states like Ogun host large breweries without facing similar criticism. “You don’t hear people in Ogun State complain about their brewery. So why is it different in Anambra?”
Obi also addressed broader accusations that his policies worsened poverty in the state, dismissing them as politically motivated and inaccurate.
“Before I came in 2006, and after returning from impeachment in 2007, I served for seven years. By the time I left in 2014, Anambra was number one in development,” he said, referencing assessments from international bodies like the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).
He urged the public to verify his legacy through credible sources such as donor agencies and NGOs that operated in the state during his administration.
“The only thing I didn’t do well was media. I wasn’t paying journalists or running PR campaigns,” Obi said. “But I live in Anambra today. I challenge anyone to walk the streets with me people will tell you who I am.”
