Mr. Peter Obi, the Labour Party’s presidential candidate, declared that if chosen to lead Nigeria in the upcoming presidential election, he will be dedicated to the development of the nation.
He also promised to manage public monies wisely while in power and to never steal from the government.
Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, the APC’s presidential candidate, had already characterized Obi as a stingy man who could not be trusted with the nation’s destiny. But Obi asserted that a miser like him would be safer for the nation.
Speaking at a campaign rally on Saturday in Akure, the capital of Ondo State, Obi claimed he would be able to invest in the economy, education, and health, among other areas, to build the nation.
He said, “Yes, they said l am stingy, but we are not out to steal the nation’s wealth. All we want to do is to use the nation’s money for our people and the development of this country.
“They said that I’m stingy; we want stingy people now, so that we can keep the money. We want to make sure we use your money to transform the country.
“This election that is coming now, don’t vote for anybody because of tribe but vote for someone that will move the country forward.
“We don’t want anybody to say that it is my turn; we want to change Nigeria for better. Our children will be in school, we don’t want people to run out of Nigeria again. We want to structure Nigeria for development. So, go and pick your PVCs and vote for Labour Party and make sure that they count the vote.”
Speaking at the rally, Mr. Julius Abure, the National Chairman of the LP, lamented that the country was at a crossroads and that all sectors were not operating. He added that the LP was prepared to make Nigeria operational once more.
The Anambra State chapter of the All Progressives Congress has criticized Obi for calling his country and candidate “sick.”
The party argued that Obi’s assessment of Nigeria as a “sick” nation only demonstrated the antithesis of patriotism for a nation he wished to rule, and that seeking the top job in the land necessitates demonstrated consistency in leadership qualities, not opportunism.
Without disagreeing with his ancestors, the APC claimed that Obi should not celebrate anyone’s illness, much less someone he competed against for the presidency.
State Publicity Secretary of the party, Mr Okelo Madukaife, who said this in a statement on Saturday, said, “The description of Nigeria as a sick country by Peter Obi, a candidate who wants to be president is the opposite of patriotism.
“However, we are happy that the country, which Obi described four years ago as a ‘vehicle without an engine’ consistent with the talking-down trend, has found an engine and now requires only maintenance arrow-headed by a good engine doctor.
“Looking beyond Peter Obi, who did less in his first and last public office as governor of Anambra State than he claims, we are glad that the presidential race has Senator Bola Tinubu, who was a good engine doctor for a Senate that dealt with a dictator, reluctant to quit power, which tripled his legislative experience.
“We are proud that Tinubu accepted the challenge of a post-June 12, 1993 annulment of presidential elections by those using Obi to return to power and fought through to the return of democracy as history did not record Obi as doing so in any other circumstance.”
Chief Innocent Okere, the LP National Vice Chairman for the South-East, asserted that Obi’s claim that the nation was ill was accurate.
According to Okere, the LP presidential candidate would not play the “blame game” if elected president since Obi understood how to address the issues plaguing the nation.
He emphasized that the APC was “playing to the gallery” and looking for ways to use what Obi said in Anambra to make a “political statement.”
Okere added, “It is not a misplaced statement, Nigeria is sick, Nigeria is on oxygen, Nigeria needs help. For someone who wants to heal Nigeria, he will not be a sick person.
You need a sound and strong doctor to heal a sick patient, not a doctor seeking attention over his ailment that will now be coming to treat someone who needs critical help.”
