BAYO AGBOOLA writes that the presidential and vice presidential candidates of the Labour Party (LP), Mr Peter Obi and Yusuf Datti Baba-Ahmed, respectively, were given a grand reception on Wednesday as their campaign train moved South West Nigeria
The campaign train of the Labour Party presidential candidate, Mr Peter Obi and his vice presidential candidate, Dr Yusuf Datti Baba Ahmed, moved to Ibadan, the political headquarters of Yorubaland last Wednesday November, 23 2022.
Interpretations
Analysts were quick to point out that the campaign spoke volume of what to expect in the 2023 general elections in Nigeria baring any last minute political abracadabra.
Those who witnessed the scenario at the Obi campaign in Ibadan, believed, unequivocally, that the 2023 polls would be historic and full of surprises as it will surely put to test the sincerity of Nigerians on the much talked unity of Nigeria.
From a close observation, it was extremely glaring, going by the show of affection displayed by the crowd who trooped out in their large numbers to welcome the Obi campaign train, that the tribal cultural and religious differences, that hitherto dotted past elections in Nigeria have become a thing of the past.
How Ibadan received Obi-Datti
On the way from the Ibadan Airport, Alakia via Gbagi Market to Iwo Road, Gate, Total garden, Mokola, Sabo to the Lekan Salami stadium, it was all enthusiastic shouts of acclamation for the Obi-Datti campaign group.
Right inside the stadium, it was hectic for the security agents to control the cheering crowd Obi at past 3pm when the chopper conveying him and some of his aides touched ground to enable freeway for the presidential and vice presidential candidates to the podium for the campaign.
The Pa Adebanjo factor
The appearance and presence of the Afenifere acting leader, Chief Ayo Adebanjo, at the Ibadan rally to political observers at the Lekan Salami stadium complex, symbolised a lot with some seeing it as a potential signal to having a united Nigeria devoid of ethnic proclivities in the nearest future in the country while to others, it was a matter of political preferences.
Chief Adebanjo while speaking at the LP rally left no one in doubt of his commitment to fairness in the Nigeria project, saying, in the spirit of fairness, it should be the turn of the Southeast to produce the next Nigeria president in line with the agreement reached by past Nigerian leaders in 1954 that each geopolitical zone should produce president, while they operate as a regional governments.
Adebanjo stressed that at present, both the North, Southwest and South-south have produced presidents for the country, while Southeast has not been given the opportunity to steer the ship of the country at least for once.
According to Chief Adebanjo, the Labour Party Presidential candidate, “Mr.Peter Obi has restated his commitment to ensure a secured and united Nigeria as well as create wealth for Nigerians if elected president in 2023”
“Nigeria needs a crop of new breed politician like the Obi-Datti and believes their team will lead Nigeria and Nigerians to a better state where insecurity, fraud, lack of infrastructure and social amenities will be a thing of the past. I so much believe in a better Nigeria which many of us have been yearning for and will be glad to witness such come 2023”.
The Afenifere leader emphasised that “the time has come for Nigerians to shun ethnicity, religious sentiments and embrace total unity and cast their votes for a reliable, tested and trusted president in the forthcoming elections for a better Nigeria”.
Obi’s message
Addressing the crowd that graced his campaign, Mr Peter Obi lauded the people of Oyo state for giving him and his campaign train befitting welcome with promises not to let Nigerians down.
He said, “Our administration promises to take Nigeria from the point of consumption to the state of production and economic development in all facets of live, because we believe Nigerians are hard working people and deserve the best economically and socially.
“The education of our youth would be paramount and we shall turn to be a production state where we shall have more than we need and even produce for other countries of the world because we have the human and infrastructural capacity to do so”, adding that “the country would surely become a better place for all to live in soon.”
Tasking eligible voters in Oyo state to ensure collection as well as keeping their Personal Voters Card (PVC) being their licence to liberation, Mr Obi restated his commitment to ensure a secured and united Nigeria, and as well to create wealth for Nigerians if elected president in 2023.
“In achieving this, unity and security were needed to address problems confronting the nation, including moving of the country from consumption to production considering the challenges facing the country such as unemployment, drug abuse and others which could be addressed by prioritizing production.
“We must secure and unite the country. When you secure the country, you are able to bring famers to return to the farm. That alone will start addressing food inflation. By moving the country from consumption to production, you are moving people away from poverty. The more you pull people out of poverty, the more you address criminality. Nigeria now has 13.8 per cent drug prevalence against the global average of 5 per cent. To deal with that crisis is production. We need to feed ourselves.”
Mr Obi pointed out that Nigeria was not short of ideas to bring solution to anything, but what was lacking was institutional framework and political will to implement the ideas and that Nigeria could achieve whatever it wanted with true implementation of its great ideas, while urging Nigerians to look at the antecedents of the eighteen presidential candidates on the ballot before casting their votes in 2023.
What others said about Obi-Datti
Oyo state Chairman of Labour Party, Atayase Olatunji Sadiq said the people of Oyo state should see Mr Obi as theirs and not of any region or any cultural group, adding “its high time Nigerians shunned all sorts of sentiments and accept the leaders that are willing to improve the present challenges Nigerian are facing and vote in leaders who are trustworthy, sincere and genuinely ready to serve the country for better’.
National chairman of Labour Party,
Barrister Julius Abure, in his own remarks said the people of South West have always set the pace in every facet of life and that “one of the feature of democracy is to select our leaders and not allow anyone to impose them on us” saying, “therefore, we all shall have that opportunity come 2023.
“Our challenges have been caused by failed leadership of PDP and APC and the person that will bring about the desired positive changes we need is Peter Obi and together we shall salvage the country.
It’s only Labour Party that can make the change because it’s the only party with a logo that shows some kind of human face with the picture of a family. Obi has the energy, pedigree and capacity, good health and moral values to change the country.’
With few weeks to the general elections, Nigerians are eagerly awaiting the coming of the much needed messiah among the Presidential candidates contesting the February 2023 polls for steering the ship of Nigeria as a country blessed with all it takes to be a great country to the promised land.
Ibadan agog as Obi-Datti takes ‘consumption to production’ message to South West
