The presidential candidate of the Labour Party in the 2023 elections, Peter Obi, has said that he has no interest in any coalition with the aim of grabbing power without talking about the well-being of Nigerians.
Obi declared that Nigeria is not working, saying the country breeds poverty everyday and people are suffering.
The LP chieftain spoke on Monday in Abuja while fielding questions from journalists on the sidelines of a national conference on strengthening democracy in Nigeria with the theme, ‘Strengthening Nigeria’s Democracy: Pathways to Good Governance and Political Integrity’.
The conference was organised by the African Centre for Leadership, Strategy & Development (Centre LSD), Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD), Westminster for Democracy (WfD), Peering Advocacy and Advancement Centre in Africa (PAACA) and National Peace Committee.
Reacting to the proposed coalition, Obi said: “For me, what is important is let’s discuss Nigeria. Whether we are going to do coalition, let’s talk about the future of the country.
“But often, we abandon the country and what we need to do is talking about power grab. I’m not interested in any coalition for the purpose of taking power.
“It is about discussing Nigeria. How do we care about securing the Nigerians? How do we care about the common person in Nigeria? How do we care about our children being in school? That is the most important thing for now.”
Obi was of the opinion that there is a need to put an end to the issue of monetisation of politics.
He added: “That’s what we need to remove, because what you’re doing is that you’re encouraging stealing of public money. Because if I steal it and use it to win an election, then I get all the power and everything, including immunity not to be prosecuted. So we must stop it. That is what is driving the stealing.”
“Evidently, these leaders have chosen to exploit the challenges that come with reforms to sow discord and manipulate public sentiment. This divide-and-rule strategy is not new, but it is one that we, as Arewa youths and professionals, reject outrightly.
“Nevertheless, we acknowledge that President Tinubu’s reforms come with short-term inconveniences. Change is never easy, especially when it disrupts the norm that everyone is accustomed to. However, the long-term benefits of these reforms far outweigh the temporary discomfort“.
