Peter Obi, who contested for the presidency under the banner of the Labour Party in the 2023 election, stressed the importance of confronting the severe problem of poverty and insecurity in Nigeria’s northern territory, advocating for a comprehensive approach centered on agricultural and industrial rejuvenation.
Peter Obi, on his comprehensive tour of the Northern states, shared these insights during a courtesy call to Ambassador Nuhu Bamali, the revered Emir of Zazzau, in Kaduna as part of his itinerary.
The Labour Party luminary decried the prevailing situation where vast stretches of arable land remain untapped in the North, while a multitude of industries grapple with closure, blaming a dearth of political resolve and wavering governmental economic directives.
However, he pointed out that the ongoing socioeconomic unrest necessitates a collaborative effort from both citizens and leaders to brainstorm solutions and restore stability.
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“The way things are in our country today requires that all of us must get involved in one way or the other. Nigeria has nothing to do with poverty if those of us who are political leaders including my humble self had decided to serve the country Faithfully. Because if we do, Nigeria will have anything to do with poverty. I will always say this anytime I have the opportunity because Nigeria is one of the countries in the world that is blessed with everything that is required,” Obi, a former governor of Anambra State, said on Monday.
“God created us with a lot of resources, and if those resources are properly put in place, we will pull most poor people out of poverty. Looking at the North, we can make more money from agriculture than we are making from oil.
“We have vast uncultivated land in the North which can help pull people out of poverty provide food for Nigeria, provide raw materials for industrialisation, and support export. We need to invest in the North. Insecurity is driven by poverty, the more you pull people out of poverty, the more you reduce Insecurity”.