Mr. Peter Obi, the Labour Party’s standard-bearer in the 2023 elections, expressed optimism on Wednesday that the party would overcome its internal struggles and become a more formidable force.
In his opinion, the internal issues within the Labour Party are insignificant compared to the enormous challenges facing the ruling All Progressives Congress and the Peoples Democratic Party.
The Labour Party is currently embroiled in a power struggle as the Nigerian Labour Congress attempts to oust its National Chairman, Julius Abure, and assume control of the party.
Besides the Nigerian Labour Congress’s efforts, Lamidi Apanpa, a faction leader, is also attempting to wrest power from Abure.
During an interaction with journalists in Abuja on Wednesday, Obi expressed confidence that the Labour Party would put its internal issues behind it and emerge stronger, more resilient, and more determined.
He said, “I can tell you that the issue will be solved. Let me tell you, the abnormalities you imagined in the Labour Party is a child’s play when compared to what is happening in the other two parties (APC and PDP). It is far worse. But it is something that can be dealt with. We are dealing with a system. Every system has its flaws and it can be managed. Yes, things went wrong. But I can assure you, we will deal with it.
“It is sad that we are always concerned about only parties. We are not even concerned with what ought to be our main concern for now, which is the future of the people. For now, let us focus on the poor people of Nigeria. That is where my focus lies.
“The next election will come in 2027. Nobody knows who will contest or emerge in 2027. For now, I am more interested in dealing with issues that affect ordinary Nigerians.”
Obi also said he was not obsessed about replacing President Bola Tinubu as the next president as being speculated.
Recently, Obi drew flak from some quarters when he challenged the Federal Government’s prioritization and timing of the Lagos-Calabar coastal highway project.
The Labour Party’s presidential candidate, Peter Obi, suggested that the government should focus on repairing Nigeria’s poor road network rather than embarking on an unnecessary and extravagant project like the coastal highway.
However, some critics took to social media to mock him, suggesting that his eagerness to become president in 2027 has made him overly critical, and he can’t recognize any positive achievements by the current administration.
Obi spoke to newsmen in Abuja on Wednesday, expressing his dismay and stressing that some people frequently avoid discussing the pressing problems plaguing the nation.
He said, “We live in a system where public office holders and politicians are only seen during elections. I can tell you that it is an everyday job. I have said it several times that I am not desperate to become the President of Nigeria. But I am desperate to see the poor and underprivileged Nigerians being pulled out of their difficult situation daily.
“That is what I am desperate to see. And all of us can do it as well. You can’t even be happy or fulfilled when several million (Nigerians) don’t know where the next meal will come from. When I see children suffering, it increases my pain. This is not about campaign.”
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Obi also disclosed that if he were to become President, he would do things differently by focusing on repairing existing roads as against approving contracts for new ones.
While analysing how deplorable some major highways such as Lagos-Badagry and Kano-Kaduna had become, the politician insisted that those projects should be the priority of any serious government.
“If I were to be the President of Nigeria today, nobody would think of any new road until we finish the existing ones. In this country, we are always trying to do things anyhow. Today, you can’t move from Lagos to Badagry, a short period of less than 100 kilometres. It has been under construction for several years. Lagos-Ibadan Expressway has also not been completed for several years.
“The same thing applies to the Kano-Kaduna, Kano-Maiduguri and Sokoto-Funtua. I can even show you the state of all the roads from Kaduna to Abuja. In Kaduna bypass alone, you can queue for hours. You can’t even drive comfortably from Abuja to Okene to Auchi and Benin. It is almost impossible.
“These are roads that are already existing and in dire need of repairs for years. That is where we need to put our resources and deal with it. We already have a network of roads that need fixing. Why are people introducing things when the existing ones are in bad shape? When I was governor of Anambra State, I started by completing the roads started by my predecessor before thinking of doing new ones. For me, this is the critical area that needs attention and that is where I will concentrate,” he stated.
An ongoing forensic audit is currently examining the Labour Party’s financial accounts.
As part of his commitment to transparency, Obi disclosed that a forensic audit is currently being carried out on the Labour Party’s accounts, as he had requested.
On March 14, Oluchi Oparah, the former National Treasurer, called for transparency in the party’s finances, demanding an independent audit firm to investigate the use of N3.5 billion reportedly generated from fundraising and nomination form sales, prompting a demand for a probe into the party’s accounts.
When asked about the update on the planned audit, Obi said, “Yes, we are doing that (audit). But we are not going to be reporting to you daily on the auditors’ reports. It is only when they finish that we can let the world know. But if you want to get a daily report from the auditors, we will direct you to them.
“People know that financial issues can take years sometimes to finish. So we can only talk to you about it when it is finished.”
Peter Obi, the Labour Party’s presidential candidate, has pledged to repair two non-functional boreholes out of the ten he previously donated to communities in the North. Obi’s promise to repair the boreholes comes two weeks after he faced public outcry when photos of the faulty boreholes he had inaugurated circulated on social media.