Presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP), Mr Peter Obi, on Monday, in Lagos denied the media report that he offered N40 billion to the presidential candidate of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), Rabiu Kwankwaso, to step down for him.
The former Anambra State governor made this known in an interactive session with the Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE), which took place in the Ikeja area of the state, saying that incompetent leaders with competent ministers would not produce results as, according to him, the buck stops at the table of the person in charge.
He said: “I never knowingly or unknowingly, offered anybody money to become president. In all my talks with Kwankwaso, I never offered him any money.”
Obi also said nobody was funding his campaigns, adding: “Nobody as of today will say he’s funding Peter Obi, I’m funding myself, I don’t pay people to work for me.”
He noted that the 2023 general elections is an existential exercise for the country and should not be about ethnic or religious sentiment, pointing out that Nigeria would not make progress until the people begin to elect competent leaders. According to Obi, the coming general elections will be based on character, competence, capacity and ability or commitment to start doing the right thing, assuring that he was committed to serving the country better if elected into office.
This was just as he noted that the demand for the number one office in the country was difficult as it required huge mental and physical energy, adding: “Let nobody say we are going to manage someone who will surround himself with people that will mismanage our resources again.”
The LP standard bearer said he would make sure that Nigeria harnessed its natural resources, especially land, which he said had the capacity to feed the country, if elected as president, come 2023.
“Next year’s election will not be about the tribe. Please do not vote for Peter Obi because he is from the South-East. It is not going to be my turn but the turn of Nigeria to take back their country.
“It is not about tribe because the people in the South do not buy bread cheaper or show me where in the South-West where they have uninterrupted electricity supply or roads that are meant for South-West people only.
“Since I came to Lagos, they have been constructing Lagos- Ibadan Expressway and it has not been completed. So, it is not about the tribe. The North is more insecure than the South, so it has nothing to do with the tribe.
“It is not about religion because I don’t see where Christians buy bread cheaper than Muslims. It is the confusion of the elite to continue to impoverish the people. I’m a Nigerian and I’m contesting this election as a Nigerian. We are about 18 people contesting this election but some will be better in terms of Queens English, and some will have better certificates but remember that a certificate is not a measure of character and integrity,” he said.
“We are looking for people who will not steal our money. So, you need to examine all of us and know who to trust based on character, integrity and competence. Next year’s election will be based on character, competence, capacity and ability or commitment to start doing the right thing and I assure you that I’m committed to it.
“It is going to be difficult but it requires huge mental and physical energy. Let nobody say we are going to manage someone who will surround himself with people that will mismanage our resources again.
“I want Nigerians to hold me accountable and I will be in charge and I will drive the development. If it is security, I’m going to deal with it head-on because I will be responsible and I will make sure that I bring people who are responsive and responsible to do the work. I want to assure Nigerians that I can do this work and it has to be done. And I will not give excuses because the job of a leader is to be responsible,” he added.
Obi further assured that women and youths would be well represented in his government, saying that he would implement the Beijing affirmative action and Bangladesh model, just as he promised to create an atmosphere where about 50 per cent of women would be included in the national productivity.
“Women are more productive than men and if they decide to do something, they do it well. We will involve women and youths in my administration and channel that population into production,” he said.
On the country’s mounting debt, the former governor, who argued that there was nothing wrong with borrowing, promised to borrow for production, even as asserted that he would re-negotiate Nigeria’s existing debts to give his government space to reorganise government revenue.
“Nothing is wrong with borrowing if invested properly. Every nation in the world that I have studied borrows. The problem with borrowing is what you do with the money. It’s okay to borrow for production but there’s a problem when you borrow for consumption.
“I will only borrow for production and I will explain to Nigerians why I’m borrowing. I must talk to the people because the job of a leader is to communicate with the people,” he said.
