‘High unemployment, insecurity, illiteracy challenging Nigeria, is it because somebody from S/East is in charge? – Obi replies Kwankwaso

Presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in the 2023 General Elections, Dr Peter Obi has described comments credited to Kano politician, Dr Rabiu Kwankwaso, as the reason why unemployment, insecurity and illiteracy continue to challenge the Nigerian society.

Reacting to comments made by Dr Kwankwaso, the Presidential candidate of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), where he had claimed that his LP candidate cannot win northern voters in the 2023 polls under the present secessionist agitation mood and its attendant violence in the South East region, Dr Obi said comments like that made by the former Governor of Kano State ‘is the reason why we have over 55 per cent of Nigerians on the under or unemployment ladder.’

Speaking while featuring as Guest on the Arise TV programme, Wednesday morning, Obi said Kwankwaso’s comments is also the ’reason why Nigeria is unsecured because rather than vote for competence, we choose to vote for incompetence based on a primitive consideration of ethnicity and religion.’

It would be recalled that the Kano politician had claimed that insecurity in the South East region will influence the decision of northern voters who will shun Obi.

According to him, the failure of the anticipated alliance between his party, the NNPP and the Labour Party is hinged on who between him and Obi emerges Presidential candidate under the new platform, as, according to him, Obi may not sell before the northern electorate.

“If anybody from the South East now, under this circumstance, becomes the presidential candidate of our party or any other party, the implication is that, because of the activities (in the region) and many other issues that are real on the ground, northern voters will certainly go for their northern candidate in another party.

“It is not whether I like it or I don’t like it, the fact remains that he (Obi) will lose and I will lose,”  Kwankwaso had said on a Channels TV interview.

However, Obi, Wednesday, responded by condemning the disposition among the northern political elite towards issues challenging the country’s wellbeing.

“The comment from my respected elder brother, Kwankwaso, is the reason why we have 100 million Nigerians living in poverty (and) the reason why we have 18 million Nigerian children out of school. It is the reason why we have over 55% of Nigerians on the under or unemployment ladder. It is the reason why Nigeria is unsecured because rather than vote for competence, we choose to vote for incompetence based on a primitive consideration of ethnicity and religion.

“Tell me, today you can’t travel from Abuja to Kaduna by air, road, or train. Is it because somebody from the South-East is in charge? You can’t travel from Abuja to Minna by road. Is it because somebody from the South-East is in charge?

“Yesterday we had an attack on the presidential convoy in Katsina State. Is it because somebody from the South-East is in charge? Show me where you can buy food cheaper, you have uninterrupted electricity or where people are prospering in the North because northerners are in power? In the South West because they are in power? or in the South East.

“What we’ve chosen to do in this country is to consistently hire vehicle drivers to fly the Nigerian airplane instead of hiring qualified pilots. My commitment is; let us campaign and deal with issues of the problem of the country.”

Also responding to questions over his choice of a running mate following reports of the decision by the Labour Party to pick some northern candidates, Obi said his preference remains to ‘work with somebody who is more younger.’

“We’re talking to a quite number of people and Hakeem Baba-Ahmed (Director of Publicity and Advocacy of Northern Elders Forum) is a capable hand. But I wish I can work with somebody who is more younger.

“I prefer younger people who have a lot to offer rather than recycling old hands. I want a competent person and I am building a formidable team.

“I want people who can look me in the eye and disagree with me during cabinet meetings. People who have their own minds and ideas,” Obi said.