Labour Party’s presidential candidate in the 2023 elections, Peter Obi, has called on professional accountants, especially women to take a stand against what he described as wasteful, misappropriation, and mismanagement of Nigeria’s scarce resources, warning that unchecked recklessness is deepening poverty and unemployment.

Speaking in Lagos on Wednesday as guest speaker at the investiture of Mrs. Blessing Ngozi Osakwe as the 12th President of the Society of Women Accountants of Nigeria (SWAN), Obi urged members of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN) to leverage their expertise to hold public officials accountable.

“I urge you as a body to ensure your members across the country stand up to political office holders. This financial recklessness must be stopped—especially now that we are borrowing and spending away the future of our children,” Obi said.

Drawing from his own experiences, Obi highlighted the critical role women have played in financial integrity throughout his career. He recounted working closely with a female risk manager during his banking days who “remained firm and always did the right thing,” ensuring the bank avoided trouble.

He also praised the performance of two female accountant generals and a female commissioner for finance during his tenure as governor, crediting them with insisting on proper procedures and documentation even under pressure.

Obi challenged women accountants to bring that same tenacity to Nigeria’s governance space, stressing that their professional ethics could help rescue the nation’s finances from mismanagement.

Reiterating his signature message of hope, he concluded: “A New Nigeria is POssible.”

His remarks come amid growing public concern over rising debt levels and government spending priorities, adding weight to calls for stronger oversight and transparency in Nigeria’s financial management.