Presidential candidate of Labour Party (LP) in the 2023 elections, Peter Obi, on Wednesday said lamented the poverty in Nigeria, saying it has assumed a worse dimension such that those offering him things in the past now beg him for assistance.
Obi, who spoke at the LP National Executives Committee (NEC) meeting and expanded stakeholders’ summit at Transcorp Hilton, Abuja, on Wednesday, said the time had come for Nigeria to be rescued.
He also said he has no plans of leaving the Labour Party.
According to him: “Do not fear anybody. Those who were afraid yesterday didn’t do any better. We must speak out when things are going wrong. Nigeria is collapsing. The numbers are clear; the indices are clear, people are getting poorer every day.
“Those that would call me to come and eat and drink with them, now see me and ask for assistance.”
Speaking on future elections, Obi said, “We want to go into the next election fully prepared, offering Nigerians the best and most competent candidates for the House of Representatives, the Senate, Governorships, and the Presidency.
“I have to stress the importance of party loyalty and competence among aspirants. We want to correct the mistakes we made in the past. Anyone seeking to contest under our party must be a committed member, not just someone passing through. They must be competent.”
He also dismissed rumors suggesting he is planning to leave the party.
The former Anambra State Governor stated that he has not entered into any discussions with any individual or group regarding his departure from the Labour Party and that any decisions about the party’s future would be made in consultation with its stakeholders.
“I’ve not told anybody that I’m leaving the Labour Party,” Obi said.
Senator Nenadi Usman on her part, said that the judgement of the Supreme Court showed that the interest of the people remains uppermost.
She said that despite the ruling in their favour, she would rather have Abure and others at the other side of the party on reconciliation mode in the interest of the party.
