Labour party presidential candidate, Peter Obi has said that Nigerians are more united now than before adding that the ongoing hunger has united different ethnic groups.
This is even as he revealed that Nigerian youths can’t wait to take back their country from those who regard national leadership as a criminal racket
Obi who disclosed this in a seminar with the theme: “Redefining Our Options and Consolidating our Legacies”, organized by Obidient support groups in Abuja, on Sunday, February 25 however appealed to Nigeria youths to remain calm and be law abiding in the face of unwarranted difficulties.
Speaking on a speech titled, ‘Tribute to Hope’ said;
“The nation has heard us. The youth have carried the mantle of changing their destiny and the direction of our country. They cannot wait to take back their country from those who regard national leadership as a criminal racket.”
According to Obi, I salute the patriotism and freedom of choice of those who may not have supported or voted for us.
“I salute your courage and tenacity. Together, we made the courageous statement that a new, more prosperous, more united Nigeria is not only possible but also within reach of all Nigerians.
“You braved the odds, you defied the pessimism of nay-sayers, you made incredible sacrifices and clung to the stubborn belief that this land is our country and that its future is ours to shape for our common good and the good of posterity.
“Looking back at what happened at the election and the situation in the country today, we were correct in saying that the old ways of politics should give way to a new progressive Nigeria.
“In the twelve months since that election, most of the fears we expressed for our nation if we went the way of the old politics have come to haunt us in frightening forms.
“We may have lost an election but we have won a moral victory of epic proportions. All the worst fears that we warned might happen have all been playing out.
“Our national economy has been driven into perhaps the worst state in all of our national life. The population of those classified as multi-dimensionally poor has climbed astronomically to over 80% of our population.
“Similarly, unemployment is galloping, for a predominantly youthful population, this scenario is dire and frighteningly dangerous.
“The hunger protests have united our people across ethnicity, language, region, faith, and location. This is another confirmation of our belief that Nigerians are united by the circumstances of their living conditions, not by artificial barriers raised by opportunistic politicians. We are now one people under hunger.”
“Just yesterday, I read with sadness, the reports of how a massive crowd besieged the Zonal Office of the Nigerian Customs in Yaba to purchase the discounted 25kg rice offered by the Customs Service.
“In the course of the heavy stampede that ensued, some lives were lost. It is heartbreaking to think that despite all the wealth of our nation, Nigerians are losing their lives in their desperate quest to buy food cheaper, in the face of the growing hunger and starvation in the country.”
” Wherever I have gone all over Nigeria, North, and South, I have been struck by the reality of poverty, deprivation, and suffering sometimes written boldly on the faces of people. Yet the beauty of our people remains the optimism in their Nigerian identity and the hope they all cherish in the future of our country.
“None of the poor people that I have encountered has ever wished they were not Nigerians. On the contrary, the consensus among them is that Nigeria is a good place ruled mostly by bad leaders.”
“Despite our current problems and setbacks as a nation, I am glad to reassure our supporters and compatriots that there is nothing in our dark experiences that has dampened my resolve and optimism in the possibility of the New Nigeria that we all strove so hard a year ago to enthrone.
“ And nothing has happened to discourage my resolve or optimism about the goals we fought for. A greater, more compassionate, more prosperous, and more equitable New Nigeria is possible.”
You May Like: Hunger: Police Arrest Philantropist, Recover Bags Of Rice
[…] The Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Benjamin Kalu, has said that the current salaries of federal lawmakers of Nigeria is not enough for their job responsibilities. Saying this on Monday during Channels TV programme ‘Politics Today’, The Deputy Speaker called for an understanding that the slashing of their salary by 50 per cent is not the solution to the current problem.According to him; “At the moment, talking about the salary of the National Assembly. I have said this over and again, it is not as much as people think. Salary is different from allowance, which is meant to do the jobs our constituents have sent us to do.“Nobody is allowed to touch allowances. It is the salary that belongs to you. Allowances have no subheadings for which they are made for. If you use it wrongly, when you are retiring it, you will be sanctioned for that.“So talking about the salaries of the National Assembly, it is a far cry from what is supposed to be. And I can assure you that even if we reduce it by 50 per cent or 80 per cent, it will not really impact what the Nigerian lawmakers should be earning, which does not go in tandem with the economic situation of the country.“I can assure you that based on economic indices at the moment, inflation rate and the rest of them, the amount members of the National Assembly receive cannot actually take them home to do their their jobs in their various constituencies.“Considering the cost of transport, running constituency offices and the number of maintaining aides who are supposed to have you achieve what the mandate of that office demands, it is not a discussion that will add value to the crisis we are faced with.“But I can assure you they will be willing to adjust. If that is what will move Nigeria to the next level, why not? After all, we did not send ourselves there. We were voted in by the constituents.”“Like you rightly pointed out, you mentioned cutting cost of governance. This shows that when you look at the President’s body language and determination, he is intentional about reducing the cost of running the government. If he’s not, he will not be looking for that document.“I want to thank him for (that) because some of the issues mentioned in that report, we are going to use them as source materials for the work we are doing on Constitution review. And we’re happy that Mr President is forward thinking for him to embrace that report. He means well for Nigeria, especially during this period when we are facing a lot of challenges. In reducing the cost of running government, the need for it cannot be overemphasised,” he stated.Don’t Miss: Hunger Has United Nigerians The More – Peter Obi […]