Stephen Ukandu, Umuahia
Presidential candidate of the Labour Party in 2023, Mr Peter Obi, has promised to serve for one term in office if elected President in 2027.
Obi who spoke during a live session on X Spaces, where he answered questions from supporters both in Nigeria and abroad, expressed his readiness to contest in the 2027 presidential race.
Meanwhile, the Spokesman of the Peter Obi Media Reach, Ibrahim Umar, later in a statement, dismissed claims of a possible joint ticket with former Vice President Atiku Abubakar.
He, however, admitted that “Obi is open to coalition talks only if they are focused on addressing Nigeria’s core problems.”
On the coalition movement, Obi said: “If the coalition is not about stopping the killings in Benue, Zamfara, how to revive our economy, how to make our industries productive, how to put food on the tables of Nigerians… Count me out. Nigeria is currently at war. We need to do something about it.”
The former Anambra State Governor promised to stabilise Nigeria within two years of his administration and urged Nigerians to join him in the mission to rescue the nation.”
Obi criticised Nigerian leaders for juncketing abroad on public funds without any value added to the country.
“I will bring stability in Nigeria within two years in office. Leaders of Nigeria should sit down in Nigeria and fix Nigeria,” he added.
On the crisis within the Labour Party, Obi said that efforts were ongoing to secure the Independent National Electoral Commission’s recognition for the Nenadi Usman-led faction in line with the Supreme Court ruling.
Responding to a question on power rotation, Obi said he believed in power rotation between the North and South.
“I believe in the rotation of government between North and South. I implemented it in Anambra as a governor.”
Obi criticised President Bola Tinubu for travelling to St. Lucia for a holiday.
“St Lucia is about the size of the 10th largest city of Nigeria, Ilorin. President Tinubu has never slept a night in any state of Nigeria outside Lagos since the assumption of office in 2023. PBAT to stay in St Lucia for 10 days.”
On how to actualise his 2027 presidential dream, Obi said the approach would be non-violent and focused on transparency.
“We will do things differently in 2027. We will follow a non-violent approach and insist that the right thing will be done before the result announcement in Abuja. Our votes in 2027 will count, and we will ensure they count.”
Obi identified security, education and poverty reduction as the three priorities for his first 100 days in office as President if given the opportunity.
He promised to invest recovered looted funds into identifiable projects of public interest.
“My family will not be involved in corruption. Funds to be channelled into key critical sectors,” he said.
He vowed to promote strong party opposition and end party-switching by elected officials.
“There will be no defection of elected officials to other parties when I am in charge,” he asserted.
Obi knocked the ruling All Progressives Congress APC-led Federal Government for misplacement of priorities.
“Imagine in this country, people are dying in Benue, Borno, and other parts of the country, and our leaders are commissioning bus stops and holidaying.”
Nobody abroad takes you seriously if you don’t have a stable government.”
