Labour Party (LP) presidential candidate, Mr. Peter Obi has urged the nation’s electorate to shun ethnic and religious sentiment when voting the next president of Nigeria come 2023, saying it would be more rewarding if they elect a president that has the capacity and capability to govern the country well.
Obi said this at the Nigeria Guild of Editors Forum parley held in Lagos on Monday.
He explained the coming presidential election should not be about it is my turn, but the turn of Nigerians to decide who to govern them and govern them well.
“Next year’s election will not be about tribes. 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 tribe because the people in the south do not buy bread cheaper or show me where in the Southwest where they have uninterrupted electricity or roads that are meant for South-West people only.
“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 am a Nigerian and I am contesting this election as a Nigerian. We are about 18 people contesting this election but, some will be better in terms of Queens English, some will have better certificates but remember that certificate is not a measure of character and integrity.
“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.”
Obi said Nigeria needs to move from a consumption nation to a production country.
He said the foundation of Nigeria’s failure is that it is not a productive country.
“You don’t need any other study in Nigeria because it is obvious that we can feed ourselves. The Bank of Agriculture in Kaduna, I don’t need documents to resuscitate it because every bank in Nigeria is a shareholder and I will tell them who to lend money to.”
