By Ononye VC
The Presidential Candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in the 2023 general election, Peter Obi, has challenged rich Nigerians to do more for the poor in society, particularly in the area of providing water and education.
Speaking at a press conference, Wednesday in Abuja, Obi said that 70% of the country’s wealth is in the hands of about 1% of Nigerians, representing about 200,000 rich Nigerians. He noted that if the rich population can deploy their resources for the basic needs of the less privileged, the situation will improve.
He further charged Governments at all levels to ensure that resource deployment is aimed at improving the living standards of the poor in our midst and pulling them out of poverty.
The LP standard bearer said that his plea in these two areas, water and education, derives from his discoveries after taking a humanitarian tour of some areas in the country that opened his eyes to the extent of poverty and abandonment of the people.
Obi who announced the completion of the construction of ten boreholes in some states of the North for a short-term water supply for the poor said he planned on establishing ten more boreholes as well as two Almajiri schools.
Obi said that the potential he found mingling with almajiris in the Quranic schools in the North moved him to tears with how brilliant the children are but needed adequate support to develop them well to grow to be catalysts of development.
“I am carrying out a campaign to make the rich in our midst do more in providing water to our rural poor and helping to pull the out-of-school children off the streets for proper development.
“This is the time to cut waste, our larger population can’t be suffering from a conspicuous lack of basic needs like water and we live lavish lifestyles in their midst, our crisis of insecurity and other challenges derive from poverty and it’s our responsibility to pull people out of poverty through good education.
On what he would do differently as President following his criticism of coastal roads, the LP flag bearer said that under his watch as President, there would be no road until all the existing roadworks in the country are put in order.
“I cannot embark on a new road when we can’t connect our states and cities in all the geopolitical zones because of bad roads. I will first fix the roads and move the economy.
In 2027, Obi said his concern now is how to see Nigeria work not the election, “ Only God can tell who can run for election in future, my interest now is the poor and how to see Nigeria work.
On the crisis in his party, the Labour Party, Obi said it would be resolved amicably as they are not fundamental and cannot be handled, “ what is happening in the Labour Party is child’s play compared to what is going on in APC and PDP.
Responding to a question that he did not build any new school when he was Governor of Anambra state, the former Anambra state Governor said those who said that failed to avail themselves of his manifesto.
He said that when he came to Anambra state, education was in shambles, schools were closed and the state was number 26 in the country but by the time he left, Anambra was number one in the state.
“I improved the quality, physical and mental well-being of the people, schools, had the basic things they needed and the people shone like stars and that was my manifesto. Building new schools when the old ones are moribund is just like building coastal lines when internal roads are impassable,” the LP standard bearer stated.
