Labor Party presidential candidate Peter Obi on Monday in Lagos said he would rather die than fail his supporters.
Obi said this while speaking about the support of his supporters, adding, “I didn’t know many of them but I will not disappoint them I swear.
“I am determined not to fail them. I’d rather die than fail them. I’m going to serve,” he insisted.
The LP presidential candidate also said the right leadership would eradicate most of Nigeria’s challenges by moving the country from consumption to production.
Obi spoke at the Editors Forum, an initiative of the Nigerian Editors Guild.
The former governor of Anambra State said the nation was experiencing many challenges mainly because it was a consuming country instead of a producing country.
According to him, if the nation is productive, three quarters of its challenges can be solved.
He listed the challenges as unemployment, poverty, crime and insecurity.
“We cannot have this number of people living in poverty and not have criminality, banditry and so on.
“We need to get rid of the sharing formula and replace it with the production formula,” he said.
He said Nigeria had fertile land and population to do well in agriculture.
“The hope of this country is the vast uncultivated land, not that oil we are seeing.
“My commitment is to put Nigeria into production.
“It is not acceptable not to be able to feed ourselves.
“We have to take the country to work; all it requires is leadership that understands and guides the process. I can do that,” he said.
Speaking on the funding of the campaign, Obi said contrary to insinuations, no one else was funding the campaign.
He also said that he never paid anyone to leave him or go with him.
“I can’t talk about being transparent in managing public money without starting with my campaign.
“I don’t pay people to work with me. No one will say they are funding Peter Obi’s campaign. I finance it myself.
“All these things that happen everywhere are just that they believe in our cause and give everything from their little resources.
“I am encouraged, and I assure them that they are supporting the right cause and I will never let them down,” he said.
On Nigeria’s debt profile, Obi said there was nothing wrong with borrowing.
“Each nation borrows, individual businesses borrow worldwide.
“It is important what we use the borrowed money for. If you borrow for consumption, that’s where we have a problem.”
He said that the borrowed money should be invested well to increase the country’s gross domestic product and per capita income.
“I will not say that I will not borrow, but I will only borrow for investments and explain the need for loans to Nigerians,” he added.
Obi, who pledged to reduce the nation’s debt burden, promised to eliminate all waste and loopholes if elected.
On communication, Obi pledged to regularly connect with Nigerians and brief them on the management of his government if elected.
He considered communication essential for good governance.
He called on Nigerians to elect the next president based on character, integrity competence, competence and commitment.
He said there is a need to prioritize rule of law, law and order, educational development and other intangible assets to encourage investors.
On power supply, the LP candidate said that adequate power generation and distribution was not rocket science and achievable.
“We will help those who generate energy and we will do everything possible in distribution.
“I can say that in a year, from where we are, we will move to 20,000 megawatts, because we need it for production,” he said.
Reacting on technology, Obi said, if elected, his administration would use science and technology for production, security, education and job creation.
“Everything is driven by technology.”
On the involvement of women in government, Obi said, “We will involve women and youths if I have the opportunity to serve because that 50 percent of our population should be put to productive use.”
On predictions about the outcome of the 2023 presidential election, Obi said only God knew who would win the election.
Earlier, the Chairman of the NGE, Mustapha Isah, said the forum should give presidential candidates and other key players in the 2023 general election an opportunity to tell Nigerians their plans.
Isah said the forum is in line with NGE’s determination to provide members of the electorate with adequate information so that they can make informed choices during the elections.
He added that it is aimed at promoting issue-based campaigns.
Surrounding Obi were Mr. Akin Osuntokun, the South West Coordinator of the LP Presidential Campaign; Mrs. Aisha Yesufu, Activist; and Mrs. Ndi Kato, spokesperson for the Obi/Datti Presidential Campaign Organisation.
IN
