THE NATION
Labour Party (LP) presidential candidate in the February 25 election, Mr. Peter Obi, has said there is nothing wrong with Nigeria.
He noted that the country could be better, given its rich endowments in land, weather, natural and human resources.
The LP chieftain stressed that Nigeria has some of the best people in the world and could become a leading nation, if it harnessed its resources carefully, judiciously, and efficiently.
Obi spoke yesterday as the special guest of honour at the Edo Policy Roundtable, which was organised in association with Mudiame University, Irrua, and held at the Bishop Kelly Pastoral Centre in Benin, the Edo State capital.
The event, a colloquium and hall of fame in honour of LP National Chairman Julius Abure, with the theme: The Contemporary Nigerian Politics: The Way Forward for Edo State, was chaired by Abia State Governor Alex Otti.
The governor, who was represented by his deputy, Ikechukwu Emetu, expressed optimism that Nigeria would make more visible progress, but sought support for its leaders.
The keynote speaker, Dr. Yunusa Tanko, expressed optimism that Obi would become Nigeria’s president but was unsure of the time this would happen.
Obi, who restated his commitment to the Nigerian project, said: “I am not a saint and I am not a criminal. I have never done anything that is wrong. I have served the state (Anambra) and I have served in the private sector. Today, we are going through difficulties. If you fail to plan, then you plan to fail.
“Planning is a critical component. The reason countries are failing today is due to lack of plans/implementation. When politicians are campaigning for elective positions, everything is sweet and good, but when you have the opportunity to serve the people, then you will bring out your true self and start doing the opposite.
“We can have a better Nigeria. When we have a better Edo State, we will have a better Nigeria. Working together, we can employ our people. There is nothing wrong with Nigeria.
“Nigeria has one of the best, in terms of land, weather, God-given resources, and it has some of the best people in the world. But the only thing God has not given Nigeria is leadership. If we have good leaders in this country, we will do better.
“A country as Nigeria has no reason to be poor, if not because of leadership. We have more resourceful young people in Nigeria. We have leadership in Nigeria that is engulfed in wasteful consumption but no production. When you move from consumption to production, you will create jobs for the people.”
The LP chieftain proposed a roundtable for Nigeria where the citizens could speak their minds and make contributions for national cohesion.
