By Wilson Adekumola
The presidential candidate of Labour Party, in the 2023 general election, Mr Peter Obi has submitted that he had a strong conviction that he must be the President of Nigeria, saying he is not in a hurry but it must surely happen.
Obi made this submission during the launch of a book written in his honour: ‘Peter Obi: Many Voices, One Perspective’, which held in Awka, Anambra State.
Obi, who is in court with the winner of the just concluded election, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, said he is convinced in his spirit that he will be President, adding he would never give people money to do the wrong thing.
The former Anambra State Governor recalled when he was a chairman TETFUND committee , the Independent National Electoral Commission Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, was member, saying they know themselves but he had not met him since he became an umpire boss.
Obi said, “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.
“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 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.”
One of the editors of the book, Prof Chinyere Okunna in her remarks said the launching was geared towards raising funds for the financing of the matter before the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal (PEPT).
“We believe in Obi. He is not a saint, but among all the people who contested to become president, none comes close to him in humility, education, love of the people, experience and knowledge.
“Litigation is a very capital intensive project and we want to support him through this launching. It was very clear that Obi won the election, but we want to call on the judiciary to be upright in their judgement and do the right thing,” she said.
