Presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP) Peter Obi has advised the electorate not to take this year’s election as a tribal or religious thing, saying bad governance affects everyone irrespective of their tribe or religion.
He gave the advice yesterday in Gombe during a meeting with women groups at Gombe International Hotel before conducting his campaign rally at Pantami Stadium, Gombe, Gombe State.
He lamented the myriads of problems facing the country, especially poverty, insecurity and joblessness and promised that the LP will build a new Nigeria if elected in the upcoming presidential election.
He urged the electorate to eschew regionalism, tribalism and religious sentiments and opt for competent leaders in the next election who can turn things around for the better.
“Please do not vote for anybody because he is from the north. If they tell you they are from the north, tell them you are hungry. Tell them your children are hungry. Tell them your children have no jobs. What did they give the north? What did they give you? You have been voting north since, what did you get from it?
“So, tell them is not a tribe thing. Let nobody tell you it is about religion. Anybody who tells you it is about religion, tell him, show me where foods are cheaper, let me go and buy it. That is what they are telling you to deceive you in the past.
“Christians don’t buy bread cheaper, Muslims don’t buy bread cheaper. So tell them you are tired of hearing about tribes, you are tired of hearing about religion. What you want now is good governance. They will tell you it is their turn; tell them it is nobody’s turn. Tell them it is your turn to take back the country for your children,” he charged voters.
Obi said it is good to put young people in government “because they still have some age to come and explain themselves.”
At the Pantami Stadium, the presidential candidate promised that his government would unite, secure the country and change it from a consumption to a production nation.
