Victor EzejaPresidential Candidate of the Labour Party, Mr Peter Obi, has reiterated his resolve to tackle tbe scourge of poverty in Nigeria if voted in the February 25, 2023 election.
Obi, who Friday, 27th January, 2023, visited the University of Abuja to interact with students and staff of the institution, said that all the problems of the country, whether on economy, education, health, politics etc revolves around political leadership that has failed the country over the years.
He was a special guest in a TownHall engagement organised by the University’s Leadership Center.
The LP Presidential flag bearer said leadership failures over the years and refusing to do the right thing at the right time is responsible for the challenges in the country.
He told the 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. Datti and I are coming to change all that because no country grows by consumption, without production,” Obi stated.
He said that poverty is increasing in Nigeria because we are not investing enough in education and health which is what makes the difference between a rich and a poor country.
Assuring the students that all that will stop under his watch, 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, our country that is so blessed.
“This country should not be poor given its abundant natural and Human Resources.”
The Presidential front runner remarked that he and Datti are coming to halt the drift and position the country as giant of Africa that we all profess.
The former Anambra State Governor said that securing the country remains their number one priority because nothing, no matter how laudable, can be achieved without a secured environment, pointing 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 raised through the questions from the staff and students at the 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 but noted that since they are inside they may know what others do not know.
On removal of subsidy, he said that if given the opportunity, he will remove subsidy the first day in office because they have turned it into a huge racket of corruption which he and Datti will stop.
Obi told the jubilant students that the next election is about them and they must seize the opportunity to take back their country by insisting that character, competence and antecedents guide their decision, not religion, tribe and region 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 us must be scrutinised, made to answer questions and wondered why Nigeria is where they are if not for poor political leadership which is everything.
Victor Ezeja is a passionate journalist with six years of experience writing on economy, politics and energy. He holds a Masters degree in Mass Communication.
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