The presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi, in Kaduna on Wednesday, said if elected in the forthcoming February polls, his administration would ensure that Nigerians are proud of the country.
Obi, who spoke at the flag off of the presidential campaign in the North, which held at the Ahmadu Bello Stadium, Kaduna, promised to bring back the Nigeria where every citizen would be proud to belong.
The presidential hopeful lamented the current situation Nigerians found themselves, noting that Nigerians now are ashamed to identify themselves as one, because of the sundry challenges facing the country.
He said, “Kaduna was the capital of Northern Nigeria where every Nigerian was proud to belong, hence we started the campaign here in Kaduna. We are about to bring back that Nigeria where everybody was happy to belong.
“Kaduna State represented productivity in the North. It represented what was good in Nigeria. And that is what we want to bring back. We are tired of hearing stories.”
He also said if elected president in the next month presidential election, his administration would secure and unite all Nigerians, adding that the current insecurity the country is facing, is as a result of ineffective leadership to take charge of the situation at hand.
Saying that Kaduna was supposed to be the most secured state in the country because of the presence of military formations, Obi added that “but there are so many security challenges in the state. We will secure and unite Nigeria. Security will come back again.”
“That is why the bandits are everywhere and operating almost freely, killing and causing unimaginable destruction of valuables.
“We will restructure the security architecture. Security personnel will be well taken care of. We will ensure their lives are taken care of so that their families are taken care of in the event of death.
“Datti and I will change this country from consumption to production because of the high prices of things. All the vast lands in the North will be centres of agriculture. Kaduna State again will become a processing centre. The Bank of Agriculture will finance food production in Nigeria and all the support groups, youth, women and all Nigerians, their labour for the party will not go in vain.
“In the coming elections, nobody should tell one another about tribe, religion or section, things are not sold in Nigeria based on religion, tribe or section but all are suffering from the bad leadership of the country,” Obi said.
In his remarks, Obi’s running mate, Datti Baba-Ahmed said those looking for peace, unity in the country should cast their votes wisely in the forthcoming elections in order to ensure the emergence of a new Nigeria.
He said, “Nigeria has never got the calibre of presidential candidates as it is presently. Kaduna is the centre of good things in the country and we hope the people of the state will come out en masse to change the narrative of this country through their votes by electing Labour Party to power, for the good of every Nigerian.
“We are the people who say and do exactly what we promise to do. We are serious in ensuring the betterment of Nigeria and ensuring equality in all aspects of life for all Nigerians. We promised to wipe away the tears of the common man and give them a sense of belonging. It is only Peter Obi that is saying that Nigerians should vote for him because of his credibility.”
Also speaking, the governorship candidate of the party in Kaduna State, Jonathan Asake, thanked the youths for being a great engine room of the party as well as women and the support groups.
“There will be inclusiveness in all spheres of life to enhance the living standards of all Nigerians because the party means well for Nigerians and Nigeria,” he added.
