2023: How I’ll tackle insecurity in Nigeria as president – Peter Obi

By Tunde Opalana

The Presidential candidate of the Labour Party in the 2023 general election, Mr. Peter Obi, on Monday, said that when he becomes president in 2023, he will face the nation’s security crisis head-on.

In an interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today, on Monday, the former Anambra State governor said his solution to the problem will be “decisive and immediate”.

While stressing that the nation’s security situation has been very worrisome, Obi said he feels the Federal Government should do more.

Obi’s comments come a few hours after the terrorists who attacked an Abuja/Kaduna train on March 28, 2022, released three victims out of the 62 hostages who they abducted.

A disturbing video on Sunday had shown some of the victims being flogged, even as the terrorists threatened to sell some into slavery and kill others.

Reacting to the development and others across the country, the Labour Party’s Presidential Flagbearer, said there are so many things that he would put in place to stem the tide of insecurity, most of which he cannot mention on air at the moment.

Speaking further, Obi was of the opinion that there needs to be an economic transformation for the security situation in Nigeria to change.

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“To improve the security situation in Nigeria, as President, I will ensure the economy works and more people are pulled out of poverty.

“The more you remove people out of poverty, the more you reduce criminality. It is critical and important, as long as the economy continues to head south like we are seeing today, your criminality will be rising,” Obi explained.

Further to that, he said other measures needs to be put in place including proper man power and standard equipment which will increase productivity.

While decrying the nation’s worsening insecurity as bandits and terrorists continue to wreak havoc in parts of the country, the Labour Party presidential candidate backed calls for the creation of state police.

He said all 36 states should be responsible for the security of their residents within their domain.

“This security situation has become a complete worrisome situation for everybody concerned. I feel the Federal Government should do more.

“If I have the opportunity, every state will be responsible for their own security. I will make sure that the governors are given the powers to secure their states. Even if we have federal police, they will be responsible and report to the governor.

“For me, I have said it repeatedly that if I have the opportunity, we will deal with the situation head-on. There are so many things that we want to put in place in order to ensure that we secure the country,” the former Anambra State governor stated.

The LP candidate insisted that state governors should have every security apparatus to protect lives and properties within their domain.

Stating that security is top on his agenda, Obi explained that he wouldn’t rule out the possibility of seeking technic assistance from advanced countries to help fix Nigeria’s security challenges.

He also decried the continued strike by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), asking the government to invest in the nation’s education sector.

While lamenting the prolonged absence of Nigerian tertiary students from the classroom since February 14, Obi criticised the Federal Government for failing to honour the 2009 agreements reached with the striking lecturers.

He also called for the review of Professors, saying it doesn’t make sense for councilors to earn more than university lecturers.

The Labour Party presidential candidate during the Channels Television’s Politics Today interview said that contrary to claims in certain quarters, he is not considering to support to support Alhaji Atiku Abubakar’s bid to become president in 2023, stressing that he is in the race to win it.

When asked if he would take the chance should a situation arise to join forces with the People Democratic Party’s flagbearer, Obi’s answer was an outright a no.

“Nobody goes into a match thinking of what will happen, everybody is going there to win. I am going into this contest win, I am going into this contest to be the president of Nigeria.

“I think I have all it takes to win,” the LP’s flagbearer declared.

Speaking further about his chances in the next presidential race, the former governor said his political journey has been a tale of miracles, adding that he is looking forward to another miracle come 2023.

“Miracle is at the root of our faith, what strengthens our faith is miracle,” Obi asserted.

He added: “For me, since I started this political journey, my achievements and records have all been miracles, it has all been miraculous.

“I ran for governor in a party that was less than one year old, when I started in 2003 and won the election, they declared somebody else, I went to court and everybody said it was impossible, there is no way, it has never happened before but after three years, the court declared me the winner.

“I was sworn in, six months I was impeached alongside Fayose and Dariye, I went to court and again I became the first governor to come back from impeachment. So I was the first governor to win through the court, and first to come back from impeachment.

“And then in 2007, about one year in office, INEC conducted an election and Andy Uba won and was sworn in as governor, I went to court again to seek the interpretation of our constitution that my tenure is four years, everybody said it will never happen but again the Supreme Court declared me the winner which is why you have staggered election in various states today.

“I can go on and on and tell you so many things that have happened in this my journey which can be termed a miracle, and I am looking forward to the next miracle next year to complete the miraculous journey of my political life.”

Speaking further regarding his relationship with Atiku and the PDP, Obi said it is true that he did not tell Atiku Abubakar before resigning from the PDP.

“I did not even tell my family. I did not want anyone to talk me out of it,” the former governor explained.

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He added: “Vice President Atiku remains my respected elder brother, and what he has said is true. When I left the PDP I did not tell him and other respected persons in my life including my family, DailyTimesNGR gathered.

“There is a time in your life that you take a decision which you consider appropriate for your own future.”

According to Obi, his decision to leave PDP was in the best interest of his future and the future of Nigeria. He recalled that when he left the opposition party, his stand was that he would rather do the right thing and fail than do the wrong thing and succeed.

Obi said he left the PDP based on the circumstances he found himself and where he found himself at the time, adding that he is certain that Atiku understands.