The presidential candidate of the Labour Party in the 2023 elections, Peter Obi, has condemned what he described as the government’s misplaced priorities in the face of worsening insecurity and poverty across the country.
Speaking at a recent event, Obi said the ongoing debate over whether the killings in Nigeria amount to “Christian genocide” missed the point when citizens were being killed, kidnapped, and displaced daily.
“If I were President of Nigeria, my top priority would be protecting the lives and property of citizens,” Obi said. “President Donald Trump says he wants to invade Nigeria because of alleged Christian genocide. My point is, why should we focus on arguing whether it is ‘Christian genocide’ or not, when Nigerians are dying and being kidnapped every single day?”Advertisement
The former Anambra State governor stressed that Nigeria was no longer safe and called for urgent intervention to restore peace and security.
“Please, it’s not genocide, please it’s not this, but to me, it’s not safe. Come and help,” he said. “Somebody offered you something you’ve been looking for; it is no time to start debating what it is. Oh yes, me and my wife are living, we’re hungry.”
Painting a vivid picture of the economic hardship faced by ordinary Nigerians, Obi said many families were barely surviving.
“Somebody discovered Peter Obi and his family can no longer eat. You’re saying no, well, it’s not true. We ate in the morning, but the one of afternoon…collect the food first — and then we know how we can ration it. That’s what it is,” he said.
Outlining his vision for rebuilding the country, Obi listed three major areas that must be prioritised by any serious government: security, poverty reduction, and education.
“Number one priority is the security of life and property. Number two is to put people out of poverty, because the more you put people out of poverty, the more you reduce criminality. Number three is to invest in education, especially from basic education,” he stated.
He warned that the neglect of millions of out-of-school children posed a grave threat to Nigeria’s future.
“A child that is five or ten years old today and is not educated will become a terrorist and a problem for you twenty years from now. Invest in him now,” Obi warned.
Obi also took a swipe at corrupt politicians who loot public funds, describing their actions as both destructive and unnecessary.
“All these people moving around stealing public money, they don’t need it. You’re only bringing headache to your life,” he said.
He concluded that his remarks reflected the kind of leadership focus Nigeria urgently needs.
“That’s my reaction to trouble. For me, it’s a welcome speech, the kind of speech I would have been making,” Obi added.
Credit: Leadership