Former Anambra State Governor, Peter Obi, has charged
Nigerians to take back their country in 2023.
Obi made the call on Monday in his acceptance speech after
emerging as Labour Party (LP) presidential candidate.
The former bank chief lamented Nigeria, Africa’s biggest
nation, has become a laughing stock due to bad leadership.
The LP standard bearer, who dumped the Peoples Democratic
Party (PDP) last week, said office holders and hopefuls who should take care of
people’s welfare were spending dollars on delegates.
Full speech:
Let Us Return Nigeria to Their Rightful Owners
“I thank Nigerians; especially members of the Labour Party
who have gathered here since yesterday to partake in the primaries to choose
the person that will fly the Labour flag in the forthcoming National election
to choose the President of Nigeria.
History beckons. Nigerians remain hopeful for a national
rebirth, which implies returning Nigeria to Nigerians – farmers, teachers and
students, lecturers, artisans, workers, pensioners and over a hundred million
poor Nigerians who are not sure where their next meal will come from.
Therefore, what you are doing today is a patriotic duty
towards seeking the desired political emancipation of our dear country, which
stands wounded by many years of cumulative leadership failure.
Painfully, our current dysfunctional system rewards unearned
income and conspicuous consumption; allows university lecturers to remain on
strike for months; keeps our youths at home; and owes pensioners, who gave
their patriotic sweat and their youthful energy to serve this country.
The despicable contrast is that those responsible for the
mess – those elected to take care of them – have abandoned the national
currency and are living in opulence and like kings, spend dollars to buy
delegates as well as houses all over the world. Meanwhile, they owe most
workers, lecturers and retirees. Yes, our country stands hijacked by forces of
retrogression. We are almost zero in all indices of development.
As a result, our future, especially those of the youth and
generations unborn, is in ruins. We have become a laughing stock among other
nations, including African countries where we were once revered. As a party
that represents the workers and masses of this great nation, we are people
organised and working for our economic rebirth.
As I am nominated today, I humbly proclaim that the journey
towards the emancipation of the country has begun. I note with humility that
the journey is going to be a collective one that will certainly require the
cooperation of critical stakeholders in our country, especially the youth,
whose future has been thoroughly degraded.
I therefore thank all of you and call for your sustained
support towards returning Nigeria to Nigerians from forces of bad leadership
and retrogression. Such a noble task brooks no conscientious objectors. I
hardly use war metaphors for political analysis due to my belief that politics
is not adversarial and not war.
However, permit me a little indulgence here, to relate what
we are embarking on to the ancient battle of Thermopylae, where the Greek
forces, conscious of fighting for the life of Greece, held on against great
odds in the defence of their country.
In the battle to retake Nigerian, the odds are great and
seemingly insurmountable, but with our commitment, patriotism and understanding
that we are doing, what we are supposed to do for our country, lest she shall
die, we shall move on discontent with what is and focused on enthroning what
ought to be. In doing this, our battle cry shall remain: get your PVC and
become part of this great liberation!
Our governance mission will be twin-tracked. Secure Nigeria
in every ramification: national security, human security, food security and
tackling insecurity created by unemployment. We will also seek to unite our
nation by pulling our people out of poverty, and creating a new sense of
nationalism and patriotism.
Nigeria shall rise again: and her people will be proud to
claim ownership of her patrimony. Doing so is in our collective national
interest. As I earnestly thank Nigerians for their faith in me. In the days
ahead I will publish our governance manifesto, which will spell out our top
governance priorities. I assure you that no region; state, local government or
communities will be left behind.
I also assure you all that the struggle continues and that
victory is certainly in sight towards the guarantee of a meaningful future for
our youths and making this country a respected and viable member of a 21st
century world that places high value on production over consumption. God bless
you all and God bless Nigeria.”
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