The 2023 Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, said, on Wednesday, that the party would overcome its internal crisis and get stronger.
According to him, the internal crisis in the LP pales besides the problems the ruling All Progressives Congress and the Peoples Democratic Party are grappling with.
The LP is grappling with an ongoing attempt by the Nigerian Labour Congress to unseat its National Chairman, Julius Abure, and take it over.
Besides, there is Lamidi Apanpa, a factional leader, who is contending for power with Abure.
Obi, who addressed journalists in Abuja on Wednesday, said the Labour Party would push all the issues behind it and emerge stronger.
He said, “I can tell you that the issue will be solved. Let me tell you, the abnormalities you imagined in the Labour Party is a child’s play when compared to what is happening in the other two parties (APC and PDP). It is far worse. But it is something that can be dealt with. We are dealing with a system. Every system has its flaws and it can be managed. Yes, things went wrong. But I can assure you, we will deal with it.
“It is sad that we are always concerned about only parties. We are not even concerned with what ought to be our main concern for now, which is the future of the people. For now, let us focus on the poor people of Nigeria. That is where my focus lies.
“The next election will come in 2027. Nobody knows who will contest or emerge in 2027. For now, I am more interested in dealing with issues that affect ordinary Nigerians.”
Obi also said he was not obsessed about replacing President Bola Tinubu as the next president as being speculated.
Obi came under fire a few days ago after he faulted the Federal Government’s timing and prioritisation of the Lagos-Calabar coastal highway project.
The LP presidential candidate advised that the government should concentrate on fixing bad roads across Nigeria instead of striving to construct a white elephant project like the major coastal road.
But some critics trolled him on social media, saying he does not see anything good in what the current administration does because of his desperation to become the president in 2027
Addressing newsmen in Abuja on Wednesday, Obi expressed his disappointment, stressing that some people often shy away from discussing pressing issues plaguing the country.
He said, “We live in a system where public office holders and politicians are only seen during elections. I can tell you that it is an everyday job. I have said it several times that I am not desperate to become the President of Nigeria. But I am desperate to see the poor and underprivileged Nigerians being pulled out of their difficult situation daily.
“That is what I am desperate to see. And all of us can do it as well. You can’t even be happy or fulfilled when several million (Nigerians) don’t know where the next meal will come from. When I see children suffering, it increases my pain. This is not about campaign.”
Obi also disclosed that if he were to become President, he would do things differently by focusing on repairing existing roads as against approving contracts for new ones.
While analysing how deplorable some major highways such as Lagos-Badagry and Kano-Kaduna had become, the politician insisted that those projects should be the priority of any serious government.
“If I were to be the President of Nigeria today, nobody would think of any new road until we finish the existing ones. In this country, we are always trying to do things anyhow. Today, you can’t move from Lagos to Badagry, a short period of less than 100 kilometres. It has been under construction for several years. Lagos-Ibadan Expressway has also not been completed for several years.
“The same thing applies to the Kano-Kaduna, Kano-Maiduguri and Sokoto-Funtua. I can even show you the state of all the roads from Kaduna to Abuja. In Kaduna bypass alone, you can queue for hours. You can’t even drive comfortably from Abuja to Okene to Auchi and Benin. It is almost impossible.
“These are roads that are already existing and in dire need of repairs for years. That is where we need to put our resources and deal with it. We already have a network of roads that need fixing. Why are people introducing things when the existing ones are in bad shape? When I was governor of Anambra State, I started by completing the roads started by my predecessor before thinking of doing new ones. For me, this is the critical area that needs attention and that is where I will concentrate,” he stated.
Forensic audit on LP accounts in progress
In a related development, Obi disclosed that a forensic audit is curently being carried out on the party’s accounts in line with his request.
The demand for an independent audit firm to probe the party account was made on March 14 after the former National Treasurer of the party, Oluchi Oparah, challenged the National Chairman, Julius Abure, to account for an alleged N3.5bn raised from the sale of nomination forms and fundraising activities in the build-up to the 2023 general election.
When asked about the update on the planned audit, Obi said, “Yes, we are doing that (audit). But we are not going to be reporting to you daily on the auditors’ reports. It is only when they finish that we can let the world know. But if you want to get a daily report from the auditors, we will direct you to them.
“People know that financial issues can take years sometimes to finish. So we can only talk to you about it when it is finished.”
Obi promises to fix two faulty boreholes
Meanwhile, the LP presidential candidate has reassured Nigerians that he will repair two dysfunctional water boreholes out of the 10 he donated to some Northern communities.
His promise comes two weeks after he came under fire after photos of the faulty boreholes he inagurated circulated on social media.
A few notable figures, which also included a former presidential aide, Bashir Ahmed; popular actress, Tonto Dikeh and ex-spokesperson for Atiku Abubakar’s presidential campaign, Daniel Bwala, had trolled the LP candidate over the poor quality of the project.
However, a Labour Party governorship candidate in Lagos, Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour came to his defence.
Rhodes-Vivour emphasised that the provision of the 10 donated boreholes was Obi’s way of ameliorating the suffering of the masses, especially in communities that have challenges with potable water.
But Obi acknowledged on Wednesday that he was aware two boreholes were down with a promise to repair them soon.
He said, “Among the 10 boreholes we sunk across the country, one or two are having challenges.
“I intend to go back and make sure that all of them are functional. I am also promising to do about 10 more.”
The former governor also appealed to well-meaning Nigerians to help him in the journey of tackling education and water challenges across the country.
