Stephen Ukandu, Umuahia
As political activities for the 2023 general election gradually gather momentum, the presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Mr Peter Obi, has urged everybody to support the efforts to enthrone the right leadership in the country.
He warned that Nigeria might not survive the aftermath of another bad leadership, saying that things may go out to control if the leadership of the country falls into the wrong hands.
Obi who spoke Saturday at a function in Umuahia, Abia State, urged Nigerians to join in the ongoing efforts to rescue the country from political hijackers and corrupt politicians.
The former Anambra State Governor explained that the reason he had been meeting Governors in the country was to explain to them the far-reaching implications of foisting bad leadership in 2023.
“I’m meeting all the Governors to tell them that very soon, if we fail to do the right thing there will be anarchy in the land that will consume everybody.
“Whether you are a Governor or a Bishop or anything, everybody will be consumed. I’m warning everybody, let’s fix this place now before it gets worse. It’s time to take back our country and rebuild it!
“It’s unacceptable that we live in a country with all that God has blessed us with freely and millions of people won’t be sure of how the next meal will come. That is unacceptable!”
He blamed Nigeria’s woes on greed and avarice of public office holders who place their personal interest above public interest.
Obi revealed that as former Governor he left office without any severance package, and had never received any pension.
“Since I left office eight years ago I have never received any pension. Anambra State has never bought me any pure water because governors should not have any retirement package.
“You came to serve and when you finish go home. God has blessed you enough. Whatever power God has given you, it’s by grace. Don’t abuse the grace of God.
“We must stop abusing God’s grace in this country and use public funds to serve the people.”
The former Governor said that at the expiration of his tenure, he invited the Managing Directors of three banks where he had warehoused state funds for the next administration, and publicly handed over to his successor.
“When I was leaving office as Anambra Governor I invited the Managing Director of Access Bank, Diamond Bank and Fidelity Bank, and told them publicly that the balance of Anambra State’s money I kept in each of those banks was $50 million, and N12 billion each. They publicly confirmed it and I told them to give it to my successor to use and develop the state.
“Nobody asked me to save the money but it’s public fund not my own. I needed to use it to work for the people.”
Obi said Nigeria must transit from consuming nation to a producing nation if it wanted to survive.
“Nigeria is a country with a landmass of 923,000 square kilometers and a population of 200 people. God blessed us with everything but we have over 100 people living in poverty.
“Last year, Nigeria’s total export including oil was less than $30 billion but Vietnam has 331,000 square kilometers of land with a population of 100 million people, and their total export was $312 billion. Yet they have no oil. Their export is manufactured goods.”
