From the stable of Barr. Valentine Obienyem (Media-Aide to Mr Peter Obi)

Peter Obi and Figures: the issue of cars on Nigerian Roads

Mr. Peter Obi is attracted to figures as bees are to honey. It is one area he does not go wrong. As the Governor, he had four different sizes of calculators on his table. It was common to see him correcting innocent errors of figures on memos submitted to him, especially those above what they should be. As for those below what they should be, he took them as part of saving money for the state.

A few months ago, he quoted the number of out-of-school children in Nigeria, whereupon the Presidency accused him of bandying wrong figures. He went to the extent of quoting UBEC as his source. The controversy raged until I published the link where the UBEC boss gave that figure.

Yesterday, he said that Nigeria had 2m+ cars on the road. Some people questioned the figure, showing us the records from Bureau of Statistics. Obi was talking of number of active vehicles plying our roads and not those parked in the houses or elsewhere.

Many rich Nigerians have over 15 vehicles parked in their houses out of which they put an average of three on the road. Many vehicles are still uncleared in the wharfs, many are in the market seeking buyers. 2m+ are actively on the roads.

Peter Obi is very correct in the figure that he gave.