Elections in 2023: Obi Reiterates Call For New Nigeria, Thanking “Obedients,” Others

If elected in the fiercely contested election on Saturday, Peter Obi, the Labour Party’s (LP) presidential candidate, has reaffirmed his commitment to a new Nigeria.

Obi wrote his final letter to his supporters on Thursday, marking the conclusion of campaigns in accordance with electoral law, and said that he and his running mate, Datti Baba-Ahmed, would “with our soul, mind, and body” be firmly devoted to “A New Secured, Unified and Wealthy Nigeria!”

We genuinely appreciate all Nigerians, especially the “Obedients,” and all of our supporters across the nation, he continued. We promise to work hard to meet and surpass your goals for a new Nigeria.

The former governor of Anambra expressed gratitude to the LP’s leaders and members as well as “other devoted Nigerians like Professor Pat Utomi” for facilitating his nomination.

After much thought, I am eternally grateful to God for my choice to join the Labour Party and to volunteer to lead and serve a New Nigeria.

He recalled his feelings on the campaign trail, saying they included immense worry, excitement, and hope.

READ ALSO: Victor Umeh defeats Ekwunife and the PDP before the appeals court, and Peter Obi rejoices

“We felt overwhelmed by God’s countless and abundant blessings on every area of our dear nation Nigeria. We also experienced real love. In Nigeria’s 36 states, we sensed an unmatched zest and energy for survival as well as a desire for a prosperous economy.

“I was both incredibly sad and very worried! Sad because the aforementioned chances are being wasted mostly as a result of poor leadership and governance in a nation with enormous potential,” he said.

The senatorial candidate for Enugu East, Oyibo Chukwu, who was assassinated on Wednesday, was among the party’s followers and candidates who passed away. The LP presidential candidate expressed his sorrow over their passing.

See the full statement below:

Press Statement

A New Nigeria is Possible on 25th February 2023!

Fellow Nigerians, on 27th May 2022, I took a most important decision in my life to join great and patriotic Nigerians in Labour Party to rescue our dear country Nigeria from litany of leadership and governance failures. I was later, most graciously elected as the Presidential Candidate to lead the crusade for a New Nigeria! I sincerely thank the members and leadership of Labour Party and other committed Nigerians like Professor Pat Utomi that made it possible. On deep reflection, I am eternally grateful to God for the decision to join Labour Party and to offer myself to serve and lead a New Nigeria!

As we campaigned across states, cities, towns and villages of our dear Nation, my heart was filled with great concern but also with joy and hope. We experienced genuine love and we felt overwhelmed by abundant and immeasurable blessings of God, on every part of our beloved country Nigeria. We felt the unparalleled zeal and energy for survival and the desire for a productive economy across the 36 states of Nigeria. I was equally very sad and most concerned! Sad as the above opportunities are being lost principally due to bad leadership and governance in a country of immense potential.

We saw real and multi-dimensional poverty, undeserving unemployment and living conditions; decaying and unavailable basic infrastructure; avoidable crises, accidents, deaths and unchecked insecurity and criminality. Even with the lamentable state of our people, society and economy, we are most encouraged by the love, unity, patriotism, energy and productivity embedded in all parts of Nigeria waiting to be properly harnessed to create a secure, united and productive New Nigeria!

As we end the campaigns, Datti Baba-Ahmed and I fully reiterate our pledge and deep commitment to lead a New Nigeria where unity, peace, love and prosperity will reign. We sincerely thank all Nigerians particularly the “Obedients” and all our supporters across the country for their abiding faith in us. We commit and pledge to pursue and exceed your expectations for a New Nigeria.

We console and pray for the repose of the souls of Nigerians particularly our supporters that died or were killed in our struggle for a New Nigeria. Notable among them are Mallam Lawal Garba, our Zonal Party Chairman in Kaduna that died in ghastly motor accident in October 2022, Mrs Victoria Chimtex, the Labour Party Women Leader in Kaduna State, who was murdered in Kaura, Kaduna State in November 2022, Mr Christopher Elehu, Labour Party’s candidate for Onuimo Local Government Area constituency, Imo State House of Assembly that was killed in December 2022, Mr Isaac Dauda, our Labour Leader in Mangu Local Government Area, Plateau State that died in January 2023 and Mr Oyibo Chukwu, our senatorial candidate for Enugu East that was most painfully killed yesterday night! We feel very sad and pray that God accept their souls and perpetual light shine upon them!

We have also witnessed with great concern the unwarranted and uncivilized attacks on our supporters. We sympathize and pray for their quick recovery and again totally condemn such attacks that has unfortunately led to the amputation of one of our supporters in Lagos. We strongly and unequivocally demand that security agencies work round the clock to prevent any further attacks and bring the perpetrators to book. We equally call on INEC to conduct the elections with utmost professionalism and impartiality. Election materials must be delivered on time and conducted strictly in line with agreed guidelines. The choice of Nigerians must be respected and allowed to prevail! The elections must be free and fair and conducted in an atmosphere of peace.

Labour Party through Datti Baba-Ahmed and I represent the New Nigeria we all want. The overwhelming support we have received from all parts of Nigeria is evident that we represent the new energy and intellect needed for a New, United, Secured and Prosperous Nigeria. While the other candidates are free to contest, we believe that the task of engineering a new Nigeria requires a complete change in attitude, approach and style. Commitment, hard work and innovation are needed to move Nigeria to a position of relevance and power in the comity of nations. Our vision is a Nigeria that every citizen will be proud of and the one that works for all.

As we struggle just to get by each day, may we remember that government exists to serve you, that power belongs to you, and that you determinewho serves you. We therefore implore all Nigerians of good will to troop out on Saturday 25th of February to cast and protect their votes for Labour Party (LP- Mama, Papa, Pikin) to birth a New Nigeria. Our desire is a New Nigeria where our versed arable lands particularly in the North, our cocoa in the South-West, coal in South-East and oil and gas in the South-South, our regional linkage location, the entrepreneurial spirit of Obafemi in Ibadan, Abubakar in Kano and Nnamdi in Aba, the unquenchable desire for human capital development, a just and moral oriented society of Mrs Seember in Makurdi are all harnessed, developed and sustained.

It will be a New Nigeria with the environment for high quality goats and rice of Alhaji Bagudu in Kebbi, the desire of Mallam Haruna in Gilani, Yobe State to harness their abundant Kaolin and gypsum and Mr Pwajok to develop Potato and rice plantations in Shendam Plateau State and Adani, Enugu State respectively are fully supported.

With a New Nigeria, both local and foreign investors will be attracted to build a power plant using our coal, gas, water and sun. MTN and Shell Plc excited to re- locate their technical support office for North Central to Jalingo, and our commercial banks inspired and secured to host their Annual general meetings in Maiduguri, Gusau or Damaturu. Kayode Omojawa from Ondo State and Helen Bassey from Ogoja, Cross-River State will be motivated to convince their parents to allow them to school in Offa, Kwara State due to the excellent infrastructure and secured Nigeria.

We will build agricultural dams and support every state in Nigeria to plant 10, million economic trees to generate additional N300,000,000,000 (Three Hundred Billion Naira) per state every year to eradicate poverty and enhance the human capital development of our children and youths. Our government will give utmost attention to Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) issues starting with proper cleaning and restoration of Niger Delta areas ravaged by oil pollution and years of negligence.

Let me reiterate, securing and uniting Nigeria will be our number one priority and we will do whatever is required to achieve it. We will lead and task security agencies to locate and rescue all Nigerians still being held captive by bandits and criminals including Leah Sharibu, remaining Chibok girls and others. Our farmers must return to their farms to feed Nigeria. We will executea national security strategy starting with three level (federal, state, local) policing anchored on accelerated human and physical development; drive our national security strategy on data, intelligence, insights, and technology in addition to enhanced physical presence of our men and women in uniform. 

We will create a cultural, economic, social, political, and policy environment to ensure labour dignity, eliminate government waste, and drive out corruption. The scam called oil subsidy will be removed and cost of governance significantly reduced. Every Naira that government spends will be focused on improving lives and livelihoods to reduce poverty, create job and enhance technology driven-productivity.

That is the New Nigeria that Datti Baba-Ahmed and I offer to provide and lead. We once again implore you to come out en-masse on Saturday 25th February to cast and protect your votes for Labour Party (LP- Mama, Papa, Pikin) for a New Nigeria. With our soul, mind, and body, we pledge and deeply commit to A New Secured, United and Prosperous Nigeria! So, help us God! May God bless you all and guide, protect and bless The Federal Republic of Nigeria!
Peter Obi
Presidential Candidate, Labour Party (LP- Mama, Papa, Pikin)