The Presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP), Mr. Peter Obi, has asked the Nigerian electorate not to vote for any of the presidential candidates speaking through proxies.
Recall that at the Nigerian Bar Association Annual General Conference (NBA-AGC) in Lagos last Monday where most of the leading presidential candidates unveiled their programmes for 2023 to Nigerians, the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Senator Bola Tinubu, was conspicuously absent.
He was, however, represented by his running mate, Senator Kashim Shettima.
But in a statement on Saturday, Obi said anyone who wants to be president of Nigeria must come forward himself and speak to the people directly because he is the one to be held responsible for whatever happens to Nigeria under his care.
In responding to his ascription as a trader by some of his opponents, Obi said even as a trader, he was privileged to go to some of the best schools like Oxford University , Cambridge University and other Ivy League institutions in the world.
Addressing Nigerians who came to welcome him in Frankfurt, Germany on Friday, Obi said that every candidate must come and tell Nigerians his agenda to make the country work.
He urged the electorate to do background checks on all the presidential candidates before listening to whatever promises they make.
He said: “When you listen to us, go and check our background, this is not a time for somebody to show us his qualifications, I live in Nigeria and I know Nigeria and what Nigerians need. I am not a stranger to Nigerian problems.
“I am a trader but I have the privilege to go to some of the best of schools like Oxford, Cambridge, and other Ivy League institutions, but I always say to people that educational qualification is not the same as integrity. Listen to all the presidential candidates, not through proxy. Let anyone who wants to be your President come forward himself and speak to you directly, because he is the one you will hold responsible for whatever happens to Nigeria under his care.
“This campaign is not a campaign you are going to speak through somebody, that person needs to come and directly tell us what he is going to do for our country and we must take note of whatever he says and hold him by his words.”
“We also don’t want someone that would be carried to this place in a wheelchair but must consider his capacity, competence, integrity and commitment.
On the issue of racism, Obi said, “I don’t see any country as racist. If you think your host country is racist you can go back to your country. The reason why you are here is that your place is not working.
“So, it is our duty to turn things around in Nigeria for the good of our country.
“Somebody asked me a question about going to look for foreign investors, I said Nigerians outside are going to do what China and India did.
“It is good for us to go back and fix our place, we need to secure it and it is important for our place to have proper leadership that is visionary, there is nothing happening in other countries that is rocket science; a country is measured by its productive capacity.
“Somebody asked me what are we going to do to stabilize the naira and I said it is very simple; production, because the more you produce goods and export, the more your currency becomes stronger if you are looking for dollars and Euro, just go and sell something to somebody that has euro and dollar and your currency will become strong.
The former Anambra State governor pledged that he will ensure the security of lives and bring stability to governance.
“Our human capital today is low, we have 200 million people with barely ten per cent productive capacity. You also need to reduce the cost of governance and have zero tolerance for corruption. People cannot continue to do what they are doing with government resources.”
Obi promised to provide an opportunity for diaspora Nigerians to vote in the 2027 elections if elected president next year.
He also stressed that Africa will remain the centerpiece of Nigeria’s foreign policy as it would improve the diplomatic sphere of influence via peacekeeping, trade, and investment initiatives.
Meanwhile, Obi yesterday hailed members of the OBIdient group who trooped out in their large numbers yesterday in two cities in the South-South zone as Port Harcourt, Rivers State capital, and Auchi, Edo State came to a halt for the Labour Party presidential candidate.
OBIdient movement rallies in the city of Makurdi, capital of Benue State, and in Afikpo, Ebonyi State also witnessed a heavy turnout of supporters in thousands that marched for the LP candidate.
The cities each embarked on their two million supporters’ march for Obi. The clips trending online show amazing crowds of young people mainly, marching through the streets and chanting support songs for Obi and his running mate, Senator Yusuf Baba-Ahmed.
The rallies were announced beforehand that the OBIdient movement members would stampede the cities to show their solidarity for Obi for the 2023 presidential election.
The OBIdient movement powered mainly by the younger generation of Nigerians has been making waves and raving up sensitisation for Obi nationwide through such rallies to show their alignment with their preferred candidate.
On his Twitter handle, Obi personally tweeted: “We are watching as Port Harcourt, Auchi, Makurdi, and Afikpo move #OBIdiently today, in the sun and in the rain. Constitutional rights to peaceful assembly are protected and must be respected by all. Our labours will never be in vain. I appreciate you all.”
Onyebuchi Ezigbo in Abuja
[AriseTV]
#NigeriaDecides2023 #OBIdients #ATIKUlated #BATified #NigeriaPolitics
