Peter Obi, presidential candidate of the Labour Party for the 2023 general election, says security would receive his immediate attention if he wins next February poll.
The presidential candidate stressed that the spate of insecurity is impacting negatively on the nation’s economy and needs to be tackled decisively if Nigeria must overcome poverty.https://googleads.g.doubleclick.net/pagead/ads?client=ca-pub-2023028789149162&output=html&h=250&slotname=5559997686&adk=3571445786&adf=44842397&pi=t.ma~as.5559997686&w=300&lmt=1663455997&psa=1&format=300×250&url=https%3A%2F%2Fthenigerialawyer.com%2Fon-cnn-obi-explains-plans-to-take-nigeria-out-of-economic-crisis-if-elected-as-president%2F&wgl=1&dt=1663456561335&bpp=4&bdt=5309&idt=4&shv=r20220912&mjsv=m202209080101&ptt=9&saldr=aa&abxe=1&cookie=ID%3Dadbf2a2453a52965-221b320780d300cb%3AT%3D1657163725%3ART%3D1657163725%3AS%3DALNI_MYKBDjmuIRF-oVDs3fOljpxG5wSCg&gpic=UID%3D000009b3bfc4a94d%3AT%3D1657163725%3ART%3D1663455387%3AS%3DALNI_MZloBOej1B8m-JHElWQdY_zuCi03w&prev_fmts=696×174%2C0x0%2C728x90%2C468x60&nras=1&correlator=3060461426964&frm=20&pv=1&ga_vid=665936731.1657163713&ga_sid=1663456559&ga_hid=1326668042&ga_fc=1&u_tz=60&u_his=50&u_h=768&u_w=1366&u_ah=728&u_aw=1366&u_cd=24&u_sd=1&adx=141&ady=1618&biw=1349&bih=615&scr_x=0&scr_y=0&eid=44759875%2C44759926%2C44759837%2C42531706%2C31069178%2C31067826&oid=2&psts=APxP-9DXjFzXa6j8DpQOxf5eZ_TXaJlxkvnb8aiHQ-KVMaB6TIo3x2Cjmh966WYKkZtlhHsjgeuFwmlYfiTkCTmLOw&pvsid=3793164961879922&tmod=1965514684&nvt=1&ref=https%3A%2F%2Fthenigerialawyer.com%2Fcategory%2Fmetro-news%2F&eae=0&fc=896&brdim=-8%2C-8%2C-8%2C-8%2C1366%2C0%2C1382%2C744%2C1366%2C615&vis=1&rsz=%7C%7CleEbr%7C&abl=CS&pfx=0&alvm=r20220914&fu=0&bc=31&ifi=6&uci=a!6&btvi=3&fsb=1&xpc=bbSY687ArT&p=https%3A//thenigerialawyer.com&dtd=47
The former Anambra governor stated this Friday, during an interview on American Media Corporation Cables News Network (CNN) programme Zain exchange.
Obi stated that if the spate of insecurity is checked farmers, especially in Northern Nigeria would be able to go back to farm.
“One is that you have to deal decisively with insecurity. It is impacting negatively on your economy today. Because you have to get your farmers to go back to the farm, and start ensuring that the vast land of the North is invested and cultivated on. You have to start pulling people out of poverty as quickly as possible, “Obi said.
Speaking further, Obi lamented the misrule and incompetent leadership in Nigeria in recent decades, saying that there was no justification for the country’s refineries to remain non-functional.
He said the removal of fuel subsidy would encourage private investment in building of refineries, while funds could be channeled to other critical sectors for the benefit of the populace.
“There is no reason why our refineries should not work. Remove fuel subsidies and use the money to support critical areas such as; education, health, this can be done within the shortest possible time”, he added.
The LP candidate described Nigeria as a “mess”, adding that politics of “my turn”, as well as politicians who promote ethnicity and religion are keeping Nigeria “underdeveloped”.
“That is what it was yesterday. And that is our problem, because we have been able to elect people based on ethnicity, religion, ‘my turn’, connection, or one form of bias or the other, which brought us to where we are — or structure, which I always say is structure of criminality,” he said.
“That is what we want to dismantle now and ensure that the next election is based on character, capacity, competence, commitment to do the right thing.
“Nigeria is not just in a physical mess; it is at the last stage to collapsing. The people in the north don’t have a secured place; they don’t have good roads; they don’t buy bread cheaper than people in the south. So [it is with] people in the south.
“All you hear about ethnicity, religion, connection, ‘my turn’ is elite conspiracy to keep Nigeria underdeveloped. But now, we have reached the edge. We can no longer continue this way.”
Although Obi did not mention any politician in particular, his comment insinuates a reference to a statement by Bola Tinubu, presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), in which the latter had said it is his turn to be president.
“You have not heard this from me before. This is the first place I am saying this. It’s my time now. If not for me that led the battlefront, Buhari wouldn’t have won. He contested first, second and third time, but lost. He even said on television that he won’t contest again,” Tinubu had said, while addressing his supporters in June.
Credit: The Nigeria Lawyers