Presidential aspirant of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, and former governor of Anambra State, Dr Peter Obi, has declared that a consensus candidate is not the solution to the country’s myraid of problems.
Obi also asked Nigerians not to allow the All Progressives Congress,APC, to continue in office after 2023, noting that they have drawn the country backward.
He spoke at a meeting with chieftains of the PDP in Akure, Ondo State, ahead of the forthcoming primaries of the party. The Presidential aspirant said the consensus arrangement clamoured for by some aspirants was not what Nigeria needs at the present time.
“What the country needs at this particular period is somebody who can turn around the economy of the country and not a concensus candidate.
“The country needs someone that would work to rescue the country to get out of its challenges as the next president.
“We are not talking of who will be the next President of the country but who will start working for this country called Nigeria. Nigerians did not need a consensus candidate but a problem solver that can fix Nigeria.
“Nigerians are looking forward to having somebody capable of making the nation productive and pulling the country out of poverty.
“The children can no longer eat. We are at high level of misery. We cannot allow them to continue.
“If nothing is done on Nigeria’s problem, it would consume all of us. It will consume our children too. We must not talk about consensus now, we must talk about who will work. Nigerians want consensus that will solve Nigeria’s problem. We want someone that will take Nigeria from consumption to production level.”
We must salvage Nigeria or perish
During his visit to Ekiti State, Obi also observed that unless critical decisions and actions are taken by Nigerians, the country is headed for deep crisis.
Obi, made the observation during a meeting with Ekiti State PDP stakeholders and delegates yesterday in the course of his consultation processes on the need to choose the right candidate for the party. He noted that the economic crisis besetting Nigeria is humongous, warning that the country may go under if not properly managed.
He decried the the high level of insecurity in the country, attributing it to the poor state of economy.
He lamented the high rate of unemployment, unstable education sector and deplorable infrastructure in the country.
Obi remarked that the challenge is how to pull the country out of its current crisis. He bemoaned the high incidence of borrowing by the country, without much to show for it.
He vowed that his commitment is to move Nigeria from a consumer society to a productive nation. The first step in this regard, he said, is to cut the cost of governance.
He asked Ekiti delegates not to be swayed by material or primordial considerations at the national convention but do due diligence on those seeking their votes to know if they have the capacity and vision for the job.
Obi warned that Nigeria will continue to lose with the present sharing culture, adding that his mission is to halt the trend.
In his address, the state chairman of the party, Lanre Omolase, lauded Obi for the good record he set while as governor of Anambra state. He described Obi as one of the best the party can offer for the presidency.
Earlier, the former Ekiti state governor, Ayo Fayose, had met with Obi where they discussed on many challenges facing the nation.
