The Presidential Candidate of the Labour Party, (LP), Peter Obi, has declared that if elected, the states of the federation would be the epicenter of activities in his administration.
Obi noted that the idea of holing up in Abuja without actually knowing what goes on around the states of the country would be a thing of the past.
He lamented that virtually all the infrastructure belonging to the Federal Government in the states have collapsed, making movement and meaningful development almost impossible.
Obi, who stated this in Ibadan, while paying a courtesy visit on the Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Lekan Balogun, at the monarch’s Alarere residence, also said the 2023 presidential election should not be about party, tribe, ethnicity or religion, which he referred to as variables that are elite conspiracy to keep down the nation.
“Other things to consider when making our presidential choice, which I strongly believe would not be based on party basis, are character, competence, capacity, commitment and mental and physical energy to do the work. We can make all promises, but, let us examine the person making the promises using the parameters identified above. How much of trust can we place in the person making the promise?” he asked.
Obi reeled out data and statistics to assert that Nigeria is not where it is supposed to be, going by its vast human and natural resources, lamenting that Nigeria is the only member of the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Country (OPEC) where oil is being stolen virtually on a daily basis to the tune of billions of dollars, yet, oil money remains the mainstay of the country’s foreign earnings.
He said: “The government to be formed by the Labour Party (LP) come May, 2023 would fight corruption because there can never be any progress under the regime where corruption remains the order of the day. By the time corruption is confronted headlong and defeated, criminality will reduce as a lot of jobless youths will be taken out of unemployment and poverty.”
In his response, the Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Lekan Balogun, who spoke through the Otun Balogun of Ibadanland, High Chief Tajudeen Ajibola, made a demand for the creation of Ibadan State from Peter Obi’s presidency.
The monarch commended Peter Obi’s delivery on the various problems confronting the country and how he would tackle them to bring about a new Nigeria that citizens would be proud of, enjoining Obi to remain focused and committed to his programmes as espoused while presenting himself to the Olubadan and his members of Advisory Council.
He stated: “We are happy to see you and your presentation bore eloquent testimony to your rich understanding of what you set out to do and one can only pray to God to grant you your heart desires and ability to follow to the letter your plan for a better and prosperous Nigeria.”
The Olubadan also presented the various activities already being carried out by the Olubadan Advisory Council including symposia and meetings across all the local government areas in Ibadanland, explaining that the activities were aimed at ensuring security across Ibadanland and that the 2023 general elections are held without any form of violence.
He said: “As should be expected, the Olubadan is the father of all and sees you all as his children. A widely traveled monarch, he is open-hearted and harbours no hatred for anybody for whatever purpose.”
Present at the event were the Olubadan Advisory Council members, including Balogun of Ibadanland, Owolabi Olakulehin: Osi Balogun, Lateef Adebimpe; Ashipa Balogun, Kola Adegbola; Osi Olubadan, Eddy Oyewole and Ekerin Olubadan, Hamidu Ajibade.
Obi was accompanied by the Oyo State gubernatorial candidate of the Labour Party, Taofiq Akinwale; members of his campaign organisation, led by Dr Doyin Okupe, including Akin Osuntokun, Chief Sola Ebiseni, the Secretary-General of Afenifere, Chief Mrs Bola Doherty and Mogaji Adejumo, among others.
Olusola Akintonde
