2023 general election may make or break Nigeria – Obasanjo

 

• As Peter Obi promises to end the nation’s woes
•  Jos rally for Obi, a prelude to inauguration of LP campaign – Abure

 

Obiora Ifoh and Victory Orimemi

Former Nigerian president, Olusegun Obasanjo, on Wednesday said the 2023 election will either bring success or ruin Nigeria.

Obasanjo spoke when the President of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Reverend Daniel Okoh, paid him a courtesy visit at his residence in Abeokuta, Ogun State capital.

“If you stand on the truth, you stand for justice and equity, then the politicians will not be able to mess us around and I will say it with all sense of responsibility now if we do not watch it, the politicians will wreck this country and we all regret it,” Obasanjo said.

“And where can we look for salvation, that is where you religious leaders have a significant role to play.

“ I think it’s the mistake of the past (particularly in Christendom), that we say politics is not for the righteous.

“Now, if we take the righteous away from politics, and we leave politics to the unrighteous, the unrighteous will smear the righteous with the unrighteousness that they will carry into politics and will have nowhere to go.

“And in the next election, if we do not watch it, it may make or break Nigeria. And I pray that it will make Nigeria,” he said.

Meanwhile, the Presidential Candidate of the Labour Party (LP) Peter Obi has promised to solve major problems facing the country if elected in 2023.

Obi made the promise at a rally organized by the Middle  Belt Forum on Thursday in Jos.

The LP candidate said he would address poverty, unemployment, insecurity, and corruption in Nigeria, he added that he would promote quality of education at all levels and improve power supply.

”If you elect me as your president,  I will end provide security at all levels so that our people can go to the farm and by so doing, the issue of food insecurity and hunger will be a thing of the past.

”We will create jobs for our teeming unemployed youth and end poverty.

We will make our educational system functional and improve the electricity supply.

”We will block all leakages and end corruption at all levels; our government will be a responsible one. We will not fail Nigerians.

”We want a new Nigeria and we are determined to make Nigerians happy again,” he said.

Obi, advised the people to pray for peaceful and credible elections in 2023, adding that only credible polls would produce credible leaders.

Dr Pogu Bitrus, the President of the Middle Belt Forum, said that the forum is in support of Obi’s candidature, insisting that Obi’s presidency would address the problems the middle belt has been faced with.

Burris said the forum is solidly behind Obi because of the principle of justice and fairness.

”We didn’t arrive at the decision to support Peter Obi on sheer sentiments,  but on the principle of justice and fairness.

”Again, after a careful study, we realize that Obi is competent and capable to take this nation out of its current challenges

”So, we organized this rally to show that we are fully in support of his candidature,”.he said.

Also speaking, Prophet Isa El-Buba, the Convener of the Initiative for Better and Brighter Nigeria (IBBN), urged Nigerians to vote for credible and responsible leaders in 2023 and not to sell their votes and ensure they vote for credible candidates in the forthcoming polls.

Jos rally for Peter Obi by Middle Belt Forum, a prelude to inauguration of Labour Party campaign – Abure

Also,the National Chairman of the Labour Party, Barrister Julius Abure has clarified that Wednesday’s solidarity rally in Jos, Plateau State by Middle Belt Forum was only a prelude to the formal inauguration of the party’s campaign for the 2023 general elections.

Abure also said urged the President Muhammadu Buhari-led government to quickly resolve the lingering face-off between the Federal Government and the members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU.

In a statement,  Labour Chairman said, “Today the presidential candidate of our party, His Excellency Peter Obi, and his running mate Dr. Baba Datti-Ahmed, honoured an invitation from the Middle Belt forum to attend her solidarity rally in Jos. The hugely attended rally brought party faithful and supporters alike from all the states from the Middle Belt to welcome the rave of the moment, our candidate and assured him that the entire zone will stand with him.

“Incidentally, the rally which is coming weeks after over 3 million supporters of the party converged on Jos in a solidarity rally to urge His Excellency, Peter Obi to lead them to the 2023 general election, fell on the first day of the commencement of the campaigns for the general elections as directed by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC.

“For our numerous supporters and members across the nation, this is to inform you that we are yet to commence our own campaigns. The Labour Party will officially open its campaigns a few days from now and the world will be formally notified. It will also formally unveil a list of leaders and members of the party that will formally be the campaign council.

“We are using this opportunity to sympathize with millions of Nigerian students who have been forced out of their various institutions of learning for nearly eight months by a government that has very little regard for our future generations. Education is the bedrock of any nation and for any government to toil with the sector, is disastrous.

“We, therefore, urge the President Muhammadu Buhari-led government to quickly resolve the lingering face-off between the Federal Government and the members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU. We also call on well-meaning Nigerians to prevail on the Federal Government to sheath its ego and salvage the education sector before it irredeemably consumes our youths.

“And to our esteemed university students, the Labour Party is aware of the difficulties you have been exposed to in the last seven years;  a situation where students spend six years for a four-year course. The Labour Party government intends to declare a state of emergency on education which will ultimately end the incessant academic disruption. Labour Party government is your government and the youth will play a major role therein.”