2023: They Are Attacking Us From All Angles- Peter Obi Cries In Enugu

The Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has cried out that he and his supporters are under constant attack from all sides by the established corrupt leaders who want the country to continue to work for a few.

 

Newsonline reports that Obi said the odds stacked against him, his supporters and all who want to change the country are very high. He said amidst all the challenges, the youths will take back their country from the corrupt leaders.

 

The former governor of Anambra State stated this on Friday in Enugu while speaking at Shaping The Future Conference, held at The Base Landmark Event Center, Independence Layout, Enugu.

 

Peter Obi who thanked the organizers of the programme for bringing the youths together to deliberate on the future on the country which is their future being put on the brink by corrupt leaders, said his message remains that the youths must be consistent in taking back their country.

 

Obi said, “My message to Nigeria youths has been consistent: Take back your country. It is your future they are toiling with. We must Seize the Moment to Shape the Future. I will share with you four critical perspectives in this regard.

READ ALSO: 2023: How I Will Fix 28m Housing Deficit At Cost Of N60trn – Peter Obi

 

“We are not unmindful of the odds stacked high against those who wish to take on the system; indeed, the attacks coming at us from all angles prove that we are up against well entrenched interests.

 

“Nevertheless, we are encouraged especially by the passion and commitment which our young people are bringing to our ranks, and by their determination to take back their country and build for themselves the kind of nation they desire.

 

“We therefore, invite all people of goodwill to join us in this noble task. We are certain that we will prevail, for we know we are on the side of Truth and Justice. The evils that have plagued our country cannot and will not continue forever; those who are plundering our treasuries will not be able to do so for much longer. And why are we so sure? Well, that is the lesson of history.”

 

Peter Obi added, “Most of the independence leaders were freedom fighters, and failure in leadership led to seemingly endless decades of lost opportunities. However, the problem lies in a simple fact – the system that chose these leaders was flawed.”

 

“Good leadership cannot come out of a flawed system of leadership selection,” he argued. He added, “Since 1960, Nigeria has experimented with various approaches to leadership in a democratic setting.

 

“Alliances of individuals not bound by any philosophy have coalesced to take power under dubious agreements.We continue to promote strong and influence-wielding individuals (that is, strong men), rather than striving to build strong, long-lasting institutions.

 

“The fate of Africa depends on Nigeria. And the fate of Nigeria depends on good leaders. Good leaders can only come out of a system of strong and capable followers, holding to account those they elect to govern them.

 

“It depends on you! Are you tired of being tired of this country? Then, it’s time to act. Let’s make the Office of the enlightened citizen the highest office in the land. It’s time to take back your country!

 

“Nigeria is the giant of Africa. But we are on our knees, bogged down by numerous problems. Each time we attempt to stand up, it seems something is holding us down. Meanwhile, we are all aware of the problems and the issues confronting us. Bad leaders, insecurity, corruption, mismanagement of the economy, incompetent people holding positions at different levels of government. Abject poverty in the midst of plenty. Ethno-religious crises.

 

“But all of these are mere symptoms. We see the manifestations, but the real problem is deep down. Every four years we attempt to treat the symptoms by electing the person who has convinced us that he is the solution to our woes. Then he disappoints us.

 

“We complain and wait for another four years to repeat the cycle. It is time to stop that nonsensical cycle. We have to press the reset button. We must restart Nigeria and begin to build the country of our dreams. We stand now at an opportune time to press that reset button.

 

“We must do so by rejecting those who have failed us so woefully in the past. We will choose a New Nigeria. A major problem is that we cannot predict what our leaders will actually do when in power, and we appear to have no way to force them to deliver once they are in office.

 

“They make promises during their campaigns, but they fail to deliver on them. The problem is one of accountability. We need a way to hold leaders accountable when they are in office.

 

“How? If we ask ourselves, what is the greatest fear that a politician really has? The answer is: removal from office. Our politicians hold on tenaciously to power, because the stakes are so high.

 

“Any leader who knows that he or she can be removed from office will have no choice but to listen to the people and at least try to deliver good government. Therefore, we can conclude that a major aspect of the leadership problem we have in Nigeria is because the leaders are not really afraid of being removed from office once they are voted in. They see the electorate as timid and docile.

 

“Citizens have to use their constitutionally given and recognized powers to hold leaders accountable; whether it is by asking them to resign or by putting pressure on our elected representatives to proceed with impeachment processes against them.

 

“These provisions are not there for decoration; they are tools to be used effectively in holding the feet of elected officials to the fire, all in the interest of good governance and a better life for the people.

 

“I wish to state that Nigeria’s rebirth trajectory is clear: it is anchored and driven by Nigerian youths. Seizing the Moment to Shape the Future should be your mantra and mission.”