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Akinwande Soji-Ojo
The candidate of Labour Party in the February 25 presidential election, Peter Obi, has declared that he must be president of Nigeria.
Obi, who came third in the 2023 presidential election, stated this at the presentation of a book, entitled: ‘Peter Obi: Many voices, one Perspective,’ in Awka, Anambra State capital, on Friday.
The book presentation was designed to raise fund to enable Obi pursue his ongoing petition at the presidential tribunal.
He said: “Anyone who thinks I am on transit is wasting his time. Let me tell you, I must be the president of this country,I’m sure of that. If it is not today, it must be tomorrow.
“Other people who want to be, should come and tell us what they want to doand how to do it. This is my country, I don’t have dual citizenship. If anyone thinks I am going to run away from Nigeria, they are lying.
“I have three engagements in Anambra and Lagos today. I will be speaking in Lagos tonight. We will not leave Nigeria. I am not in a hurry to become the president, but I know it must happen.
“For three years, I was in court in Anambra to reclaim my governorship seat, just to challenge the process. Many people tried to discourage me, but I said even if the entire four years tenure elapsed for us to prove a point and correct the process, I will be fulfilled.
“My argument is that, let’s do what is right. I always tell everyone that I will not give people money to do the wrong thing. I have been the chairman of a committee; TETFUND committee, and Prof Mahmood was my member. We know ourselves, but when he became INEC chairman, I have never met him. I told him, you’re an umpire, just do what is right.
“If you have the chance to do the right thing, and you insist on perpetuating anarchy, then, it will consume everybody one day. I insist that we must do the right thing.
“I was in an event yesterday in Abuja, and it was World Food Organisation. I listened to report that stated that Nigeria will face intense hunger in years to come.
“It is Nigeria that will face hunger, not Peter Obi. The report listed Borno, Adamawa and Yobe as the states that will be worse hit, but those three states put together are five times larger in land mass than Israel, yet Egypt exports food, but Nigeria cannot feed itself.
“So we must cultivate a habit of doing the right thing. If we don’t do the right thing, it will consume us some day.
“I must be the president of this country; if not today, it will be next time. I’m not desperate, I’m not in a hurry. I’m committed to cause of better Nigeria,” he said.
Obi also said he would respect the decision of the court on his petition challenging the victory of the president-elect, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu.
“We are peaceful, we are not going to quarrel with any politician. Don’t be discouraged about my apologies to people. As youth, we cannot fight our fathers, even when we are right.
“We are not going to riot. I am in Nigeria, I don’t not have dual citizenship. I will not run away, we must be here to right the wrong in the country,” the former governor added.
