… Promises to Serve Single Term of Four Years
By Attah Ede
The Presidential Candidate of the Labour Party(LP) in the 2023 general elections, Mr Peter Obi, has again, indicated interest to contest the presidential election comes 2027.
Obi while making his intention known to his supporters during a virtual interactive session on Sunday night via an X (formerly Twitter), said he would only accept to serve a four-year term if elected.
The former governor of Anambra State who spoke on numerous topical issues, including speculations about a possible alliance with former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, internal party matters, national security, and his political plans, announced that he was not in coalition to form alliance with former vice President Atiku Abubakar.
A statement issued on Monday by his media aide, Ibrahim Umar of the Peter Obi Media Reach (POMR), quoted Obi as saying, “I am involved in coalition talks because I want Nigeria rescued.
“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.”
He said that discussions about forming a coalition must centre on concrete national challenges, adding that Nigeria is currently at war and they need to do something about it.
However, he admitted being open to coalition talks, only if they are focused on addressing Nigeria’s core problems.
“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,” Obi said.
He also promised to stabilise Nigeria within two years of his administration and urged Nigerians to join him in the mission to rescue the nation.
“I will bring stability in Nigeria within two years in office. Leaders of Nigeria should sit down in Nigeria and fix Nigeria,” he added.
Responding to concerns over internal wrangling in the Labour Party, Obi revealed that efforts are underway to get the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to recognise the Nenadi Usman-led leadership of the party, in line with a Supreme Court judgment.
On zoning and power rotation, Obi affirmed his support for the arrangement. ‘l will honour one-term deal if coalition demands it and build a Nigeria where opposition has peace, not war.
“I believe in the rotation of government between North and South. I implemented it in Anambra as a governor,” he stated.
Criticising President Bola Tinubu’s overseas travel, Obi said, “In two years, Tinubu has not spent one night in any state in Nigeria apart from Lagos, yet he is going to spend eight nights in St Lucia, a place smaller than Ajegunle. St Lucia is about the size of the 10th largest city of Nigeria, Ilorin.”
He also spoke about his plans for the 2027 elections. “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.”
Outlining his priorities if elected, Obi said, “Three things to follow up with in the first 100 days: prioritise security, education, and poverty eradication; cut costs and shun corruption. My family will not be involved in corruption. Funds will be channelled into key critical sectors.”
He added that under his leadership, elected officials would not defect from one party to another, and his administration would promote strong opposition and democratic accountability.
“Nobody abroad takes you seriously if you don’t have a stable government,” he said, emphasizing the need for leadership presence and responsiveness.
“Wherever there was an issue in Anambra State, I was there physically. Anybody who wants to serve should be ready to put even their life on the line for the lives of Nigerians.”
“To bring order in governance, I will prioritise security, education and pulling people out of poverty. To do this is by cutting the cost of governance and fighting corruption from day one.
“My past speaks loudly for me. Wherever there was an issue in Anambra State, I was there physically. Anybody who wants to serve should be ready to put their life on the line for the lives of Nigerians”, Obi said.
