The Labour Party (LP) Presidential candidate, Mr. Peter Obi, on Thursday night said emphatically that the problem of Nigeria is neither religion nor ethnicity as many erroneously believe but the failure of leadership which his tenure as President if elected will correct.
Obi, who was answering questions from his support groups across the country through a virtual meeting said that Nigerians, whether Muslim or Christian, are facing the same problems.
“There is nowhere in Nigeria where a Muslim buys cheaper bread because he is a Muslim, ditto Christian. Our economic problems arising from poor leadership does not discriminate on basis of religion or tribe. There is no separate electricity for a Christian or Muslim, everyone is suffering the same thing.
“We can’t continue repeating the same method we have been using that is not working. I have said it repeatedly, don’t vote for me because of where I come from. Vote for me because of what am offering. I am the most qualified in this presidential race not because of where I come from but because of what I am coming with, what I can offer.
“My antecedents, my qualifications, I have been tested with power and I left a mark, the only governor in Nigerian history who finished eight years left money, built infrastructure, owed no contractor or salary or pension. I have been to the best schools in the world, acquired enormous knowledge for leadership challenges. I am a businessman and in it I left records.”
Explaining why his focus will be much in the North as President, Obi said it is because “the potentials there are much and they need to be tapped and harnessed. With what I have in mind for the North, the region will forever remain grateful because I am going to change the region. We need to cultivate arable land there.”
Obi regretted that Nigeria is the poverty capital of the World and the North contributes the larger chunk of it despite its sons being in power for 47 out of 62 years of our nationhood.
“What that means is that who is in power, whether your tribesman or your religion, is not the solution but the capacity and competence of the person.
“Very distinguished and respected Nigerians from the North have ruled this country but if you go to Nigeria today, the ten poorest States are from the region. The region has the most unemployed youths, out of school children and the worst school kidnapping record globally,” he said.
The LP flag bearer noted that Nigeria is not the only country with diversity, but it depends on how it’s being handled, recalling that the Central Mosque in London worth millions of pounds in value was donated by the Queen of England who is not a Muslim and in Dubai, the huge Catholic Church there was built by the Emir of Dubai who is not a Christian.
“I have said it frequently that the 2023 election must not be on anybody’s entitlements, his religion or tribe but on competence, character and what you did before. How did you handle public funds when it was placed in your custody?”
Obi also answered questions on other areas including linkage with Nigerian students who are now back on campus: “To Nigerian students, you will never regret being part of this movement. You can never regret being part of taking back of Nigeria, I assure you.”
Obi-Datti Media noted that within ten minutes of opening the zoom meeting over 50,000 persons joined who were anxious and desirous to hearing from their reigning political icon. A lot of many could not join as the zoom could not cope with the rush.
Obi’s zoom meeting with support group is part of the strategy to keep in touch with his numerous followers at home and in the diaspora, as well as get feed back from them on his policies and programs.