Peter Obi, 2023 presidential candidate of Labour Party (LP), has said the North can transform Nigeria.
Obi made the statement while speaking at a meeting of the national political consultative group (north) in Abuja on Sunday.
Obi described the region as the country’s most valuable asset, especially in terms of agricultural potential.
Obi criticised the poverty levels in the region, saying it is a lack of investments. He said the region is the country’s most valuable asset, especially in terms of agricultural potential.
He said, “And when you have poverty, you have humanity that you cannot control because when people don’t know where the next meal will come from, you can never control their actions.”
“And they easily recruit,” he said, referring to bandits amid worsening insecurity. “It all rests on government to solve it.”
“I’ve always said the north can change Nigeria.”
“The greatest asset of this country is the north. I have always said it; we can make more money from agriculture than we make from oil.”
“This entire country produces less than six million tonnes of rice; that is less than 10 percent of what Bangladesh produces.”
“Bangladesh is a country that lives on 148,600sq of land that is the size of two northern states: Niger at 76.3 and Borno at 70.8. equals to what?”
Obi said fixing the region’s poverty levels would have a positive impact on the fight against insecurity and touted other measures.
He added, “The more you pull people out of poverty, the more you solve insecurity. We need to invest in education.”
“We can’t talk about free universal basic education when people are not going to school. Our children are not in school.”
“I’ve taken time to go to the north and sat down with the Almajiri children; they are the most brilliant people God created. If they can’t go to school, take the school to them.”
Obi expressed optimism that with the right policies, Nigeria can be reformed.
