Kemi Olaitan in Ibadan
The presidential candidate of Labour Party (LP), Mr. Peter Obi, has said the 2023 election should not be about tribe, ethnicity and religion but character and competence of the candidate.
Obi, who spoke while addressing the Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Olalekan Balogun, and his Advisory Council members who are High Chiefs, at his palace, at the weekend, said all the variables are elite conspiracy to keep down the nation.
This is just as he declared at the first and second convocation ceremonies of the Dominican University, Ibadan, that he is the most qualified person to move the country forward, expressing optimism of securing the maximum votes in the Southwest region.
According to him, “Where have all those taken us to? I’m offering Nigerians what I did in Anambra State as two-term governor. I have been asking Nigerians to investigate all of us aspiring to lead the country. What did we do at our previous points of assignments? Mine is not difficult to do for Your Imperial Majesty as our in-law in Onitsha where I hail from, just a tap on any of our people there, my profile would be made known.
“Other things to consider when making our presidential choice which I strongly believe would not be based on party basis are character, competence, capacity, commitment and mental and physical energy to do the work. We can make all promises, but, let us examine the person making the promises using the parameters identified above. How much of trust can we place in the person making the promise,” Obi asked?
He assured the people that under his presidency the states would be epicentre of activities, noting that the idea of holing up in Abuja without actually knowing what goes on around the states of the country would be a thing of the past.
He lamented that virtually all the infrastructure belonging to the federal government in the states have collapsed, making movement and meaningful development almost impossible.
“The government to be formed by the Labour Party (LP) come May 2023 would fight corruption because there can never be any progress under the regime where corruption remains the order of the day. By the time corruption is confronted headlong and defeated, criminality will reduce as a lot of jobless youths would be taken out of unemployment and poverty. We must get this country back on its feet and make it work again. This is my message to you Kabiyesi and the people of Ibadanland and I’m sure that with your support, it is doable”, he added.
Obi, who is the Pro-Chancellor, Dominican University, said whenever he is in Ibadan he feels at home, saying ‘when I got to the palace today I was received with a very good and warm reception.”
He maintained that he would be voted for in the Southwest because he is at home in the region and people would vote for him knowing fully that he would deliver.
He said: “My number one structure is God, the number two is human being, and you people are my structure because you believe in me and in what I am saying.
“The structure we have today is that of criminality and underdevelopment. These structures have ruined the country. So, the question is do you want to continue with the existing structure or you want a new structure?”
Oba Balogun speaking through the Otun Balogun of Ibadanland, High Chief Tajudeen Ajibola, lauded Obi’s delivery on the various problems confronting the country and how he would tackle them to bring about a new Nigeria that citizens would be proud of, urging him to remain focused and be committed to his programmes as brilliantly espoused.
“As should be expected, Olubadan is the father of all and sees you all as his children. A widely traveled monarch, he is open-hearted and harbours no hatred for anybody for whatever purpose. We are happy to see you and your presentation bore eloquence testimony to your rich understanding of what you set out to do and one can only pray to God to grant you your heart desires and ability to follow to the letter your plan for a better and prosperous Nigeria”, Olubadan said.
The Osi Olubadan of Ibadanland, High Chief Eddy Oyewole, in his closing remarks, declared openly the unanimous endorsement of Obi as by the monarch and the entire Ibadan traditional council, praying for good health and protection for him and his distinguished entourage, led by Mogaji Gboyega Adejumo.
