Presidential Candidate of Labour Party, Mr Peter Obi, has declared that he must be president of Nigeria.
Obi, who came third in the 2023 presidential election, said this at the presentation of a book entitled: “Peter Obi: Many voices, one Perspectives”, in Awka, Anambra State capital, on Friday.
The book presentation was designed to raise fund to enable Mr Peter Obi pursue his ongoing election court case.
“Anyone who thinks I’m 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 do, and 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, 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.
“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 of 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 in the ongoing electoral dispute.
“We are peaceful, we are not going to quarrel with any politician. Don’t be discourage 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,” he stated.
Obi of Onitsha, Igwe Afred Achebe, Catholic bishop of Awka diocese, Most Rev. Paulinus Ezeokafor, were among dignitaries at the event.
