Obi: I Will Rescue Nigeria from Becoming a Failed State

•Wealth of the nation is here, former Anambra gov tells northerners 

•Assures that farmers will return to their farms in 2023

John Shiklam in Kaduna

The Presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP) and former governor of Anambra State, Mr. Peter Obi has said he would rescue Nigeria from becoming a failed state.

Speaking yesterday, at an interactive session organised by the Arewa Joint Committee, he said any country no longer in control of the economy and security was nothing but a failed state.

He promised that  if elected president in 2023, he would positively change the narrative.

According to him,  the problem of Nigeria was not lack of ideas, but institutional weakness and lack of political will to effect genuine change that will better the lives of the citizens.

He said he was committed to unlocking the greatness of the country and lift it from a consumption to a producing country.

He also promised to ensure that the security challenges facing Nigeria was squarely addressed, adding that  employment opportunities would be created for youths who are tools used to perpetrate social vices.

According to him, once jobs are created and the youths are gainfully engaged and made productive, insecurity would have been reduced to the barest minimum and would no longer be a lucrative business.

He said security agencies would  be adequately equipped to handle all forms of security challenges in the country.

“We want to bring a transformative government. The greatest assets of Nigeria are the in north, the greatest assets of Nigeria is vast uncultivated land in the north but this lands has been taken by bandits. We are going to unlock Nigeria.

“We will bring Nigeria back to life. All banks will be shareholders in the Bank Of Agriculture where our farmers can directly assess loans,” he said.

Obi said, he if elected, he would eradicate poverty in Nigeria, stressing that when you pull people out of poverty, the rate of crime in the country would reduce.

He promised to fight  corruption to a standstill, maintaining that fighting corruption would be easy when leaders are not  stealing.

“Our past is gone; we are going to face the future. Fighting corruption is easy when one is not stealing, our money is being stolen, subsidy is an organised crime.

“I want to give Nigerians hope. I and my running mate will be in charge, they will not find us wanting, we have the physical strength, I will dialogue with every agitator because it will make us a better and united Nigeria,” he said.

He promised to invest more in women, maintaining that women are very industrious and dedicated and committed when given responsibility, urging Nigerians to vote a character and capacity they can trust, and that he is that candidate that can be trusted.

He assured the northern region that his presidency if elected would give the region premium place in his agenda because the wealth of the nation is in the region.

He said the region was strategic to the development plans of Obi-Datti administration if elected President in 2023.

“We shall pay as much attention to the development of the north as to the development of all other parts of the country; but with much greater emphasis on the development of the agricultural resources. The north remains where the biggest and sustainable wealth of this great nation lies,” he added.

The LP candidate said his administration would pursue aggressively policies, programmes and projects to enhance the productivity and competitiveness of all the sectors of the Nigerian economy. 

And will in particular do the following in the north, “offer immediate and decisive long-lasting and permanent-effect resolution of all security challenges in the North; ensure that farmers return to all farmlands for the 2023 farming season. We will make Nigeria’s arable land in the North her new oil and gold.”

And as part of our Marshall Plan for Education, “we will foster Federal intervention in education at all levels in the north and partnership with state governments and international organisations in order to improve access to affordable and quality education at all levels; ensure very adequate representation in government, equitable appointments especially in the security and economic sectors; incentivise the resuscitation of the moribund cotton and textile industries; and full exploration of the cattle economy value chain, notably the $75 billion global hide and skin economy.”

He announced that Nigeria’s share of the global industry was envisaged to generate over $1 billion by 2025; and his administration would ensure very generous deployment and allocation of economic and social projects and infrastructure in the north – with keen attention to roads, energy, power and dams- and solar energy from sunlight.

Obi said that a new New Nigeria was possible and the Nigerian people wanted solutions to the many problems confronting them.

 “But we must return to dreams of our founding fathers to create an egalitarian society. The Nigeria we seek will be a United and Secure Nigeria that symbolizes the spirit, letters, and exhorting ethos of our national anthem – “one nation bound in freedom, peace and unity” where “peace and justice shall reign.”

The former Anambra state Governor said that Obi-Datti ticket planned  to offer Nigerians purposeful leadership with the fear of God and with all good conscience and intent. where the Constitution and the rule of law will always prevail. 

Obi also told his audience that includes northern corporate and political leadership that Nigeria situation got this bad because, “Our leaders became selfish, myopic and stopped listening and caring for the common man. Bad leadership, divisive rhetorics, and impunity became the norm. Nigerians have suffered; they have lost jobs, and lost their farms and herds and their trust in our leaders. That narrative must change.”