Labor Party presidential candidate Peter Obi said on Friday Nigeria needs a leader who will stop waste and rebuild a new country that will win the loyalty of its citizens.
Obi stated that the only accusation against him was that he was stingy, but added that Nigeria needed a stingy leader with a culture of thrift.
This was as the former governor of Anambra State said, the ‘Obidient’ movement did not necessarily represent a political party but a people of different formations eager to build a new Nigeria.
Addressing participants at a campaign rally held at Rwang Pam Stadium, Jos, the capital of Plateau state, Obi led people to observe a minute’s silence for members of the Plateau State Peoples’ Democratic Party who They died in a traffic accident while returning from a campaign event.
These were contained in a statement from the Obi-Datti media team.
The statement read in part: “Labor Party presidential candidate Mr. Peter Obi landed on the Plateau on Friday declaring that what is needed in this country in the future is a leader who will stop the waste and start rebuilding a new Nigeria that the people will be loyal and faithful to, not their various political parties.
“Obi noted that the only accusation against him is stinginess, but noted that Nigeria needs a stingy person to safeguard its resources and deploy them properly.
“Obi told the Gbong Gwom Jos, Da Jacob Gyang Buba when he paid homage to him in his palace that saving is character building, noting that while other candidates accused themselves of stealing government money, the only accusation against him it was stinginess, adding that it is time for Nigerian leaders to stop wastefulness in government.
“The Labor Party standard-bearer said the Obidient movement does not necessarily represent a political party but a people of different formations eager to build a new Nigeria.”
Leading the crowd in a minute’s silence for the PDP members who died in the car crash, Obi stated that although those who died in the car crash were not LP members, “the life of every Nigerian is important, adding that The party suspended campaigning at Plateau State for a few days to mourn the dead.”
In another engagement with a group known as ‘National Obedient Students’ at a town hall held at the Landfill Event Center, Jos, Obi reiterated his pledge to protect and secure Nigeria and Nigerians.
“We want to save the lives of all Nigerians. We will secure and unite Nigeria. We are not contesting the election based on tribe.
“We want to build a new Nigeria, a new Nigeria is possible. It is the turn of Nigerians to take back their country.
“That is why we said we will move Nigeria from consumption to production. We want to create jobs; we want to secure Nigeria.
“Our young people are very hard-working; they are very productive, we want to make them compete with others in the world.
“Savings is character building,” he said.
Boasting that neither he nor his running mate Yusuf Datti-Ahmed had stolen public funds, Obi claimed that the upcoming election was all about character, adding that “we are wealth creators. This is our chance to take Nigeria back and make it work.”
Obi claimed that his campaign promises were on record and that the people should hold him accountable for them.
And he added: “Give me the opportunity to secure the country; give me a chance to take Nigeria back and stop the blame game.
“We don’t want help; what we want is the opportunity to recover the country.”
