Peter Obi, the Labour Party’s Presidential candidate, has urged Nigerians not to elect a sick man to lead a sick nation like Nigeria.
Prior to the February 25 Presidential election, Obi continued his national campaign by making this statement at the University of Nigeria in Nsukka.
“This country is sick and should not be handed over to a sick person. I am not saying that anyone is sick. We have been here for over two hours, we don’t want people who can’t stand for 30 minutes,” Obi said in an interactive session with the varsity’s Business School.
Character and trust were listed by him as the two most important qualities to seek for when choosing leaders to steer the country’s affairs for the next four years.
“In the United States during elections, they go for debates. Somebody once asked Barack Obama questions that were personal and he answered. But here in Nigeria, somebody wants to contest elections, we don’t know his real age, we don’t know his name, we don’t know the schools he attended. Nobody knows his real identity and he is pushing to lead everybody.
“My name is Peter Obi. I can say I went to Christ The King College, went to University of Nigeria, Nsukka. Both the VC today, the DVC today, were my schoolmates. We came to university the same year and left the same year. The people I went to school with, I can see them here today, my seniors and my juniors. How come we now have people who do not have classmates? This is very important”
The former governor of Anambra State acknowledged, however, that everyone cannot have an equal or formal education, and that everyone’s records must be straight.
“Afe Babalola once told me he never had the opportunity of going to a formal school. There is nothing wrong with that. There are so many people who have done well in life and never went to formal school.
On corruption, he said, “If you say you will fight corruption, let’s go to the road you have passed and see what is remaining there after you left,” stressing that “this year’s election must be based on competence as it requires physical and mental energy. It is not a retirement job.”
