The presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi, has explained that only a patriotic leader imbued with fairness, equity, justice, and a determination for a very inclusive and progressive society can bring ethnic agitations to a halt in the country.
Obi made the disclosure in a piece entitled, “Nation Building and Ordered Society are Imperative,” on Sunday in Abuja at the 53rd anniversary of the end of the Nigeria/Biafra war.
Obi lamented the negative trajectory of the Nigerian nation, urging every citizen of voting age to take advantage of upcoming presidential election to vote for a leader with capacity to break all artificial barriers and inject new ideas into governance.
“There are youths all over Nigeria who are frustrated because of injustice, poverty, lack of opportunities, unemployment, and apparent exclusion. Such youths could seize upon and use any issue or tool to express their frustration and anger.
“I believe that some of those who are agitating are doing so partly due to our failures in creating an inclusive and progressive Nigeria. A working Nigeria with equity, justice and fairness will also definitely and effectively checkmate such extreme groups like Boko Haram and the Islamic State in West African Province.”
The former Anambra state governor emphasized the importance of dialogue in addressing agitations in the country, adding that if elected, his government would deploy both kinetic and non-kinetic approach to restore peace in the country.
“I personally believe that the best strategy for dealing with these situations manifesting in the guise of unclear nationalism, bigoted patriotism and religious bigotry is a carrot-and-stick approach. Nation-building and an ordered society are now imperative. We must wean those that can be weaned through the creation of a society where equity and justice will prevail, a society where the basic freedoms and necessities of life, such as health, jobs, skills, and empowerment are provided.
“There must be a national programme for those who will accept the carrot approach. For those unwilling to yield to the carrot approach, the stick option will be fully justified and applied. We must put an order in our society and where necessary, justice will be tempered with mercy,” he added.
The LP Presidential candidate went further to lament that though Nigeria civil war came to end 53 years ago, not much has been achieved in terms of reconciliation, reconstruction and rehabilitation of citizens towards a cohesive country.
“January 15, a very special and unique day in 2023 as it was 53 years ago! 40 days from today, Nigerians will be voting in an election that many regards as the most crucial and existential decision we have to make as a nation, and particularly for our children and youths, given the sad state of our dear nation, Nigeria; alarming insecurity, unemployment, poverty, inflation, debt, hunger, disunity, hopelessness and many other indices of a failing state. It was also on January 15, 53 years ago, a very special red-letter day for Nigeria that the booming of guns and other paraphernalia of battle were formally silenced in the thirty-month civil war in which millions of lives were regrettably lost and an unquantifiable number of properties destroyed!
“While we regret the immense losses from the war, pray for the repose of souls of the departed and thank God that it ended, we all must join hands with utmost sincerity and commitment to preventing any serious violence in Nigeria, let alone another civil war! Never again! This task of Securing and Uniting Nigeria should be our only option and we all can agree that the leaders and people of different sections of Nigeria have done admirably well, particularly in the years immediately after the war”.
“Anyone who still harbours a different agenda different from the realization of a wholesome and unifying people-oriented development vision is doing a terrible disservice to this generation and generations of Nigerians yet unborn. I cannot think of any valid reason, except for the deficit of sound socio-economic and political policies and programmes that will unite and propel Nigeria forward.
“From what I know of the South-East, the Igbo Nation, led by Ohanaeze, has at every opportunity been unequivocal about its commitment to the unity, oneness, integrity, and progress of Nigeria, based on equity, justice, and an inclusive society. And I, Peter Obi, a proud Nigerian of Igbo extraction, am most truthfully and wholly committed to that stand of one united, secure and progressive Nigeria,” adding that “It is also unfair to use the misconduct or position of one person or few persons in an ethnic group to stigmatize the entire group. It is a wrong approach and should not be so! I have repeatedly said that I will sit down and discuss with all agitators, believing that we must continue to talk and negotiate with all to achieve positive results.”