Presidential candidate of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, has dismissed President Bola Tinubu’s criticism of his record on erosion control in Anambra State, insisting that he played a key role in developing the intervention programme currently being used to tackle the environmental challenge.

Obi described Tinubu’s allegation as false during an interview on Rhythm FM Jos on Tuesday, ahead of the NDC town hall meeting in Plateau State.

The exchange followed Tinubu’s remarks at an All Progressives Congress (APC) rally in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, over the weekend, where the president questioned Obi’s performance as governor of Anambra, alleging that he “ran away from erosion” while highlighting environmental projects executed in Lagos.

However, Obi maintained that he worked with a former Minister of Environment to develop the erosion-control programme, explaining that the initiative originated from a proposal he personally presented to the late former President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua.

According to him, Yar’Adua subsequently directed the minister to develop the proposal into an intervention programme.

“On what the president said while campaigning in Akwa Ibom, it’s not true. I, working with the former minister of environment, developed what they’re using today to fight erosion,” Obi said.

“I went to President Yar’Adua, made a suggestion to him. He called the minister and said he should go and develop it.”

Obi governed Anambra State between 2006 and 2014, a period during which the state faced significant erosion challenges.

Tinubu had cited the erosion problem as an example of what he described as Obi’s shortcomings in office, questioning his capacity to lead the country.

Responding to broader political and governance issues, Obi explained that his visit to Plateau State was part of his approach to understanding the concerns of Nigerians before embarking on campaign rallies.

He argued that political leaders should first engage citizens, listen to their experiences and understand their challenges before presenting solutions.

The former Anambra governor also identified insecurity across parts of central Nigeria as a major concern, stressing that citizens must be able to return to their communities, conduct businesses and engage in farming without fear of attacks.

He maintained that his administration, if elected, would prioritise essential public services, particularly education, healthcare and insurance coverage for vulnerable Nigerians.

“Unless children go to school without fear, unless parents go to farms without fear, we don’t have a country,” he said.

“You cannot stay in a developing country and a developing world if you have poor health accessibility and poor education accessibility. Education and health are the foundation for development. I will invest in them.”

Obi’s response comes amid intensifying political exchanges ahead of the 2027 presidential election, with questions surrounding governance records, security and public service delivery increasingly featuring in the emerging political debate.