By Lanre Oloyede
The Presidential Candidate of the Labour Party, LP, Mr. Peter Obi has declared that democracy makes the ordinary people, the poor and disadvantaged as the owners of the country .
Obi who was a special guest at the Human Rights Radio in Abuja called Berekete Radio said that the ordinary people have critical role to play in the selection process of who governs this country and they can only do that through their Permanent Voters Card.
The LP flag bearer said that he is seeking to be hired by the owners of Nigeria, the ordinary downtrodden, because he wants to build a new Nigeria where the populace are secured and productive.
Obi who took time to explain to the listeners at home and those in the studio why he is aspiring to be hired for the job of Nigeria President, said that applicants antecedents should be put into consideration while interviewing and taking decisions to employ.
The former Governor of Anambra state who took time to explain his rich past in public and private sectors, said that having done it well in the past he is well equipped to do better being the most qualified of all the candidates.
On his being labeled a stingy man, Obi said it’s not true that what is being seen and talked about his being stingy is his fiscal discipline in the management of public funds and those who lose out in the blockage of waste see it as being stingy.
He used various examples to illustrate his frugality to public funds, pointing out that corrupt people fight back when you block them by tagging you stingy.
According to him, saving money is not in the constitution of Nigeria but my Presidency will change our sharing mentality to saving and production mentality.
On corruption, Obi said that if elected he will draw the line and face the future as he would not close shop to chase thief although he noted that the looters would not be allowed to go free.
He described nepotism as a huge corruption especially when leaders pick unqualified persons who maybe of the same family with him and allocate land and contract papers to them.
Obi disagreed with a questioner that when people enter office like President or Governor the office change them, instead he said that money and power expose who the person really are.
The candidate said that North is the new Nigeria gold and oil but requires only a person who knows like him and his Vice to unlock it.
“The poverty in the country can only be tackled through production and it’s only through it crimes and criminalities can be reduced. Those bandits are factory workers who are doing nothing.
On his position on Biafra, whether he has plans of restoring it if elected, Obi declared unequivocally that the Biafra war ended 52 years ago and that is the position. I am a Nigerian and running for President as a Nigerian.
“If the President is to be given by whose turn it is, as an Igbo it’s my turn but I am in the race as a Nigerian wishing to be hired based on my track record, competence and capacity.”
He regretted that Nigerian leaders have not shown enough compassion on the people and their plights in neglecting the people they govern. They are annoying God by turning grace into entitlement.
The high points of the two hour question and answer programme was the offsetting of the lost money of over N400, 000 belonging to a banana seller whose phone was stolen and all contribution funds in her account withdrawn by the Labour Party although the Candidate urged the radio station to do further investigation as the bank might be liable if the customer did not sign to internet banking.
The station announced that over two million viewers and listeners liked the program and none of the over 300 comments were negative, although Obi insisted on hearing the bad comments as he learns from it.
