The presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP), Peter Obi, on Sunday, January 8, talked about his views on some critical issues concerning the nation.
Obi and his running mate for the forthcoming general election, Datti Baba-Ahmed, on Sunday night, were hosted by Channels Television.
On fuel subsidy
Obi, while speaking on fuel subsidy, described the policy as an “organised crime.”
The former governor of Anambra state noted that if he is elected into office in 2023, the payments on fuel subsidy will stop immediately.
Obi said that, “I can assure you that I will remove fuel subsidy immediately I get into office. I have said it before that fuel subsidy is an organised crime and I will not allow it to stay a day longer.
“What they are telling you is not what it is. Half of what is being mentioned is not subsidy.
“We have the same population as Pakistan, yet they consume below 50 percent of what we consume.
“So, I will remove payments on fuel subsidy so that we can save the money for other purposes,” he added.
The LP presidential candidate, who flayed the country’s public debt stock, added that the money spent on petrol subsidy should be channelled into social development.
Obi said that, “Look at this year’s budget, only N4.5 trillion was allocated for education, health and infrastructure projects.
“And N3.6 trillion will be spent on fuel subsidy by June. So, if it’s a full year, it is about N7 trillion.
“Which country will invest more in subsidy than education and health and even roads? It doesn’t make sense,” he added.
On agitators, separatists groups
Obi, while speaking on Sunday night, noted that he will discuss with all agitators in the country if he is elected as president in the forthcoming general election.
He stated that, “We are in a democratic dispensation, and you govern by discussing, you govern by consensus.
“So, I will sit down and discuss with every agitator without exception of name. We must use carrot and stick approach.
“I will discuss with those who want to discuss. When you look at the issues causing agitations today, you’ll find out that these issues revolve around injustice, poverty, and unemployment.
“When you start to address these issues and you engage the agitator in discussions and you start bringing them to the table, there will be changes.
“No agitator anywhere in the world will see that things are going the way they ought to and will continue to agitate,” he added.
The former Anambra governor instead that discussion is the best way to end agitations, addinf that agitation is not out of place in any democracy.
Obi noted that even at home, children agitate, but when their parents sit them down and explain things to them, they see reason and eventually agree with them.
On power generation, distribution across the country
On bringing more women into politics
Obi, while speaking on equity and fairness, stated that women are more productive in Nigeria and are less corrupt compared to their male counterparts.
He promised to bring more women into government if elected as the president in the February 25 election.
Obi said that, “I can say it boldly that women are more productive in Nigeria than men.
“I worked with them when I was in the banking industry, they saved the bank. When they believe in anything, they go for it.
“I wish our men will do the same thing, and they (women) are less corrupt. They are easily satisfied with little.
“Men will just go on and on forgetting that it is public funds that they are spending. I am very sorry about that, men. I am a man too but I have to say the truth,” he added.
To prove how serious he is about giving women good representation in government, the former Anambra state governor recalled how women almost took over his administration serving in key positions.
Obi said that, “As governor, I was about to set up a ministry of men’s affairs because women took over.
“It is simple, go and verify. As governor of Anambra state, my chief of staff, the permanent secretary of government house, the commissioner for finance, the accountant general, the head of service, the commissioner for youths and sports, the commissioner for education, the commissioner for local government were all women.
“They literally took over,” he added.
The LP chieftain promised that his administration will be made up of mostly women and youths because they are hungrier to change the country positively.
On Tinubu’s “stingy” comment
The LP presidential flagbearer, on Sunday, expressed disdain over recent comments made by his opponent in the All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Tinubu, mocking him as ‘Mr. Stingy.’
Tinubu, in a campaign speech on Saturday, alleged that the former Anambra governor watched his people suffer and saved the state’s funds rather than save the people.
However, Obi dismissed the remarks, arguing that no one could blame him for refusing to steal public funds.
He said that, “Let us talk about corruption. One of the things that is killing this country today is corruption perception index, which is measured by how you manage public assets, nepotism, how you share the land, how you manage your money, and everything.
“I’ve challenged everyone to go and see whether there is anywhere a kobo of Anambra state money is missing when I was governor.
“Saving has now become an issue. When people have stolen all the money and impoverished the country and you are now questioning a man who left the money without anybody telling me to save it,” he added.
He noted that between 2000 and 2015, the global benchmark for measuring development was the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), adding that he became governor in 2006.
Obi said that, “We started implementing it in 2008, so we were late by seven years.
“By the time it stopped in 2015, Anambra state was number one. I was number one in education.
“This was confirmed by UNDP, not by the federal government.
“I won the Bill Gates prize in health. I can go on with the achievements. I had the best road network. In terms of fighting poverty, go and ask former managing director of The Bank of Industry (BoI), Evelyn Oputu.
“She will tell you that I was the first governor to go to the Bank of Industry.
“I said ‘I want us to do something. I want to put in money here and you support my micro, and small businesses, which is what the governors are seeing today.
“I and Evelyn Oputu started that. Go and ask Magnus Kpakol, who was in charge of poverty alleviation.
“I’m calling names of people so that people can confirm these things from them,” he added.
“There is an office belonging to NPA in London, and they have a guest house in London as well. Can you believe it?
“If elected as president in February, my administration will dismantle these facilities and also cut off irrelevant spendings,” Obi added.
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