The Presidential Candidate of the Labour Party , Peter Obi in Bauchi on Thursday paying glowing tribute to the late first Prime Minister, Abubakar Tafawa Balewa who he described as a unique and great Nigerian patriot.
Obi told the people of Bauchi that each time he visits the state, he cannot but remember that this is the home state of a true leader who believed and worked for a united and peaceful Nigeria.
The former Governor of Anambra state recalled how as Prime Minister, Tafawa Belewa working with another true believer in a great Nigeria from his state particularly from Onitsha where he lives, Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe as the first President of Nigeria nurtured a United and harmonious country.
Obi said that Nigeria today is not only disunited but is breeding poverty because of the bad leadership the country has has had over time.
He recalled that, June 17, 1964, Balewa as Prime Minister applied for and got loan of $82m dollars for the construction of the Kainji Dam, a money he deployed judiciously and was expected to generate 760 megwats of power and the project is still there today 59 years after.
Today, we have borrowed over N77 trillion naira and can hardly account for it and this is responsible for the level of poverty all over the place, North and South.
He pledged that if voted into power, he and Datti would build a new and great country of Balewa’s dream.
“We will always remember Bauchi as the great City where a man who wanted to build a great Nigeria came from. It’s in fulfillment of his aspirations that I and Datti are seeking to build a great Nigeria, a secure and United Nigeria where the people will be educated and empowered.”
