The Presidential Candidate of of the Labour Party, Peter Obi on Friday in Abuja thrilled the students and staff of the University of Abuja with statistics about Nigeria what he intends to do if he is elected President on February 25, 2023.
Obi, who was a special guest in a town hall engagement organized by the University’s Leadership Center, said that all the problems of the country, whether on economy, education, health, politcs etc revolves around political leadership that has failed the country over the years.
The LP Presidential flag bearer, who spoke for over two hours blamed mleadership failures over the years for the tale of woes in other country.
He told the cheering students that the reason his manifesto is centered on turning the country from consumption to production is to stop the country from recycling poverty.
“The only thing this country is manufacturing is poverty. And Datti and I are coming to change all that because no country grows my consumption, without production.”
He said that poverty is increasing in Nigeria because of lack of adequate investments in education and health which is what makes the difference between a rich and a poor country.
He assured the students that under education would be given a priority place.
Obi noted that “life expectancy globally should be about 72 years but it’s 55 years in Nigeria because of the growing level of poverty in Nigeria, in spite of the fact that the country is so blessed.
“This country should not be poor given its abundance natural and Human Resources.”
The Presidential frontrunner remarked that He and Datti are coming to halt the drift and the position the country to take its rightful place as the giant of Africa.
The former Anambra state Governor also said that securing the country remains a number one priority because nothing, no matter how laudable, can be achieved without a secured environment.
He pointed out that his Presidency will negotiate with agitators who are amenable and deal with those who may be recalcitrant and uncooperative because there can only be one government at a time in a country.
He also spoke on a number of issues arising from the questions from the staff and students at the well attended Town Hall meeting, ranging from power, corruption and subsidy removal.
On the allegation made by one of the candidates that fuel scarcity and redesigning of the naira are deliberately created to sabotage the forthcoming election, Obi said that he runs his campaigns on issues and does not delve in candidate’s position.
However, he noted that since those who made the allegation are insiders
they may know what others do not know.
On removal of subsidy, he said that if given the opportunity, he will remove subsidy on the first day in office because they have turned it into a huge racket of corruption which he government will stop.
Obi told the students that the next election is about them urged them to seize the opportunity to take back their country.
He enjoined them to insist that character, competence and antecedents guide their decision, as not religion, tribe or ‘my turn’ because in truth it’s the turn of the teeming Nigerian youths who are wasting.
Earlier, the Vice Chancellor of the University, Prof. Abdul-Rasheed Na’Allah, explained the motive of the gathering saying that intellectual engagement is the basis of political leadership.
The Vice Chancellor said that those aspiring to govern must be scrutinized, made to answer questions.
He wondered why Nigeria is where it is if not for poor political leadership.
