Kamis Anayo and John Ugo
The Labour Party Presidential Candidate, Mr. Peter Obi, was a guest of Chatham House, the famous British international Policy institute, on Monday.
The LP Candidate said that Nigeria Presidency with him and Yusuf Datti Baba-Ahmed in charge will dismantle inefficiency and eliminate transactional policies that breed corruption in government.
Obi who took over 15 questions from the audience after his elucidating paper on various sectors said they will dismantle the structure of criminality which they have been using to hold the country down.
Stating that, “there will be no sacred cows” under the Obi-Datti administration, the Labour Party Presidential candidate said that “our objective is to dismantle these structures of criminality and enthrone competence, character, and capability so that talents and ideas can flourish.”
On how he intends to cope with possibly having a National Assembly that may be dominated by other parties, Obi said he went through such experience as Governor of Anambra state when none of the 30 members of the State of Assembly came from his political party, adding that what he needed to navigate such case is to do the right thing, avoid nepotism and transactional policies, because even the parliamentarians desire good governance.
Responding to a question on the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra (IPOB) and why he has not condemned them, Obi said that for him and many other reasonable Nigerians including Igbos, the Biafra war ended 53 years ago. But he is not oblivious of the agitators’ demands for justice.
According to him, “we are going to look into the issue of justice and marginalization which some of them are hinging their grievances on.
“We are going to apply the carrot and stick in dealing with the agitators. But in the end there can only be one government and we will be in charge.”
On how to attract investors to Nigeria which was asked by a former British High Commissioner to Nigeria, Paul Arkwright, Obi likened what he intends to do to attract investors to bee and honey.
He promised to create the enabling environment where rule of law thrives and which will avoid transactional policies which breeds corruption and weakens governance.
Obi who also spoke on security, said it will be his top priority because everything will be done to secure the environment. He reiterated his determination to first turn the country into production and pulling the people out of poverty and adequately utilizing the military.
“Our military once secured Africa and they should secure Nigeria and we will provide the needed leadership and political will.” He said
Reacting to questions on the independence of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), he said that what is happening in the apex bank now is a consequence of a mix up of responsibilities and not necessarily of competence.
He said that his administration will correct the situation by ensuring that square pegs are in square holes both in personnel and policies.
Obi also said that the on-going fiscal rascality in the system will be dismantled for the enthronement of order and discipline in the country’s monetary policies.
On how to navigate the so called ‘big boys’ to be able see through his beautiful policies if elected, the LP standard bearer said the challenge will be surmounted as there will be no sacred cow.
The former Anambra state Governor also spoke convincingly on education, Health, debt servicing among others to draw consistent applause from the audience.
Obi gave indication of his preparedness for the programme when he was offered seat by the moderator and he politely turned it down saying the problem in Nigeria is so serious that it necessitates standing to address them. He stood for the two hour period covered by the event.
“You have heard them say we don’t have structure, that structure is the one that has dismantled Nigeria. We will destroy that structure of criminality, I assure you of it.
“We’re going to turn around the power sector. Nigeria today generates 56,000 megawatts for 200 million people and South Africa, the second biggest in terms of economy on the continent, 60 million people, generates over 40,000 mega watts, yet, they have declared an emergency in the power sector.
Speaking further on electricity, Obi said “I have said it that anyone can generate up to 100,000 megawatts with our licence.
“If a country with 60 million population generating over 40,000MW is declaring emergency on power, what do you think somebody with two million people generating 5,000 to 6,000MW will do? War!
“I am going to declare war on power and I will solve it. Anybody who stands on the way, so be it,” He added.
Credit: THE NETWORK.
