2023: My Victory Is Not About Religion Or Ethnicity, But I’m Most Qualified President, Peter Obi Tells Nigerians
*Endorses Alex Otti, Obi Aguocha, others
By Charity Uwakwe
The Presidential candidate of Labour Party (LP), Dr. Peter Obi has reiterated that his victory as envisioned is not predicated on religion nor ethnicity rather because he is the most qualified to be the next President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
Obi who was received in an atmosphere of euphoria and love by the people of Abia State during his rally which held at the International Conference Center, (ICC), in Umuahia, the State’s capital, today, Friday, regretted the subsisting hardship, insecurity and unemployment rate ravaging the country.
In his optimistic state, Obi implored Nigerians not to relent in their quest to deliver the country from the lopper caterpillars that have swallowed up her wealth over the years, but work assiduously towards effecting the desired positive change.
The frontline candidate boasted about a possible new Nigeria which he maintained would be realised despite all odds, lamenting that the penurious state of the country could be glaringly felt across various regions and ethnic groups, hence, the February 25 general election would not be based on sentiments.
In his words:
“The election coming up this month will not be about religion because no religion buys fuel cheaper, there’s no religion where there’s no unemployment nor where there’s no kidnapping. Today, they kidnapped a Bishop; they kidnap anybody.
“This year’s election that’s coming up on the 25 of this month will not be about ethnicity, will not be about my turn and if anybody should claim turn, I Peter Obi will claim turn.
“I’m an Igbo man, a devout South-Easterner, but I’m not winning this election based on my being Igbo man nor based on my being from South-East, I’m contesting this election as a Nigerian who’s the most qualified President of this country. That is why I’m contesting. So, we want you to find this election very important to effect the positive change; go and vote Labour Party for the good of your unborn generation. 
“We have voted for Umbrella and it leaked and we’re suffering, look at Nigeria, we voted APC and they use broom to sweep us into poverty and now we’re rising up to vote for human being- Mama, Papa and Pikin. Don’t be deceived. So, when you get there, you’ll see the sign ‘LP’, vote, stand there let them count and record it before you go.”
“My assurance to my youths is that there’ll be no more ASUU strike. Four years will be four years and five years will be five years. Our children must be in school. 
Peter Obi who observed a minute’s silence in honour of the former PDP Guber Candidate of the State, Prof. Uche Ikonne who was reported dead on January 25, as he prayed for God to grant the soul of the departed eternal rest.
The foremost Presidential candidate who reiterated his commitment to building a new Nigeria, lamented that the past and present administrations had merely succeeded in jeopardising the future of the youths through the creation of insecurity, inflation, unemployment, scarcity, among others.
Obi who emphasised the importance economic prosperity in the nation, reassured that his emergence would give raise to national unity and eradicate insecurity, crime and criminalities, unemployment.
“We’re trying to build a new Nigeria because a new Nigeria is possible, so we want to build a Nigeria. Today, what we have succeeded in building are insecurity, poverty, suffering, out of school children, ASUU strike, petroleum scarcity, and all sorts of trouble. That’s what your government does today, that’s what we suffer today, no Nigerian is safe at the moment to move around; the youths don’t have jobs, they don’t have means of livelihood even when you try to do one on your own, you might be lucky, you can even be arrested and tagged anything.
“So, the pain is too much, that’s what we want to revise. We want to secure Nigeria and securing Nigeria is difficult but I assure you, it’s doable. I can assure you, the enemy is no more formidable when there’s lack of leadership and that’s what we’re trying to rebuild; we want to restructure the entire architecture and get Nigeria secured.
“We want to reunite Nigeria and create a Nigeria where no Nigerian will come out to say I’m from the East, North, West or South but I’m a Nigerian and be proud of it. We want to create a Nigeria today where we will remove the country from consumption to production, we’ll be able to create jobs, employ people.
I was just coming from Aba where I told them like I’ve always said wherever I go, that total Nigeria’s export in clothes in 2021 is N18.9trn at 660 US dollars.
A country that exported 36bn. in clothing.
Meanwhile, he used the medium warn sternly his counterparts who in recent times have been using his picture in different party posters, to desist from indulging in such criminal act.
He, therefore, admonished his teaming supporters across the nation to be mindful of the deceptive activities of his antagonists, lamenting that “what they now do is to attach my image to opposition parties’ posters”, a perceived ploy to mislead some unsuspecting, ignorant obidient citizens.
The highlight of the event was the endorsement of the candidacy of Dr. Alex Otti, High Chief Obi Aguocha and all other candidates of the party in the State, by Obi, passionately appealed to Nigerians to ensure they vote everyone else running under the umbrella of the party, stressing that he would need to have them around when elected, so as to successfully build the Nigeria of their desire.
“Anyone who is desirous of voting me for President must also vote all other of my party. Please, don’t sell your votes.
Earlier in his remarks, Dr. Alex Otti, thanked the Presidential candidate for visiting Abia State and assured him that his envisaged victory would not be thwarted.
Otti urged him to remain focused as ever, in his unflinching commitment to rebuild the nation, while promising that he and all other candidates of the party in the State would not dash his hope, whatsoever, adding that “we believe in your vision of a new Nigeria and we shall work with you to make it a reality”.
Corroborating, High Chief Obi Aguocha, the candidate for Ikwuano/Umuahia Federal Constituency, while giving his vote of thanks, expressed gratitude to the Presidential candidate for finding it worth-the-while to visit the State amidst his overwhelming activities.
The Ogwumabiri Umuahia commended Obi for making the people of Abia and Nigeria in general see a glimmer of hope amidst the extant pains, while describing the former Anambra State Governor’s message of a new Nigeria as a message of hope and opportunities, adding that “it’s a message that the people of Abia have taken to heart.
Also, Aguocha thanked Obi for endorsing all of the seven candidates of the party in the State, “and we promise to make you, Abians and indeed Nigerians proud”, he pledged.
