NEWS
2023: Peter Obi promises to boost electricity, implement Diaspora voting
The Labour Party flag-bearer for the 2023 presidential election, Mr Peter Obi, has pledged to increase electricity generation, address the brain drain, and implement Diaspora voting, among others if elected.
Obi made the pledge on Sunday at Columbia University, New York while having a conversation on economic and government policy with Columbia’s Africa Business Club, Black Law Students Association, and the Nigerian Diaspora in New York.
This event is part of his “Good Governance Series: The role of Nigeria’s Diaspora” in the U.S., having visited five states, viz North Carolina, Texas, Washington DC, Atlanta and California.
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Obi said that South Africa which produces 50,000 megawatts of electricity had recently declared a state of emergency in the power sector for those who can generate below 100 megawatts without a licence.
“But Nigeria generates 4,000 megawatts of electricity but did not declare emergency in the power sector,’’ he said.
He told the gathering that he knew what to do and asked them to give him the opportunity to turn his plans and vision for Nigeria into reality.
“I don’t have solutions to all problems and leaders don’t, but I will consult when I need to consult,’’ he said.
The Presidential candidate said he would turn brain drain into brains in Nigeria, urging Nigerians in Diaspora to be investors instead of doing social welfare for people to eat and do burials.
On Diaspora voting, Obi said 2023 would be the last time Nigerians in the Diaspora would not vote, noting that if other countries in Africa can do it, Nigeria can also do it.
Speaking on the economy, he said Nigeria was blessed with rich land resources but lacked good leaders to harness the resources.
“The Netherlands generated 120 billion dollars in agricultural export in 2021 and Nigeria has a land mass bigger than the Netherlands but most states in Nigeria don’t contribute to the national purse but only take,’’ he said.
He lamented the rate of corruption in Nigeria, saying, “Corruption kills entrepreneurship, professionalism, and hard work.
“So, we must fight corruption through the President, his wife, and ministers by being honest.
He gave the example of the “Universal Basic Education Board (UBEB) fund where the money belongs to the Local Government Authorities (LGAs) but Federal Government gives the funds to States and States gives it to the LGs’’, Obi said.
He wondered why the money could not be given to LGAs directly from Federal Government and that going through the States reduced what got to LGAs.
Obi said he pushed for the funds to be given directly to LGAs during his tenure as Governor.
The candidate also wondered why the Federal Government could not dialogue with ASUU to call off the strike while the government could dialogue with bandits.
On borrowing, he said there was nothing wrong about borrowing but frowned at borrowing for consumption.
“We consumed what we borrowed and so it didn’t add to our growth. We should borrow for production. America and China borrow.
“All the G7 countries borrow so nothing wrong in debt but we should use debt to keep our economy growing,’’ he said.
In addition, he said the 2023 election would not be about right, saying, don’t vote for me because I am from the southeast. If you go to the North, it is not safer than the South.
“It will not be about religion; Muslims don’t buy bread cheaper than Christians.
“2023 election will not be about my turn; it’s not anybody’s turn. It is not a chieftaincy title; it’s about the election. It will not be about connection,’’ he said.
According to him, when people say Peter Obi does not have structure, let me tell you, the structure they are talking about is the structure of criminality, the structure of corruption; that is the structure I want to dismantle.
“2023 election will be about a character we can trust, competence, capacity, commitment to do the right thing.’’
Earlier, Obi had met with some Nigerians in Germany, Italy, and Canada over his presidential ambition and plans to move Nigeria into a better country.
He also visited the Vatican City in Rome, where he attended the ceremony where a Nigerian, Bishop Peter Okpaleke of Ekwulobia Diocese, was elevated to a Cardinal in the Catholic Church
Security operatives at the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS), Kuru, Plateau State, have successfully repelled another attack by suspected gunmen, killing one of the assailants during a fierce exchange of gunfire.
The incident occurred around 11 p.m. on Wednesday when the armed men reportedly attempted to breach the institute’s security perimeter.
However, security personnel swiftly responded, engaging the attackers in a gun battle that forced them to retreat.
SEE ALSO: Gunmen Kill Ex-Ogun State Broadcaster, Security Guard in Early Morning Attack
In a statement issued on Thursday by the institute’s Head of Public Affairs, Dr. Osime Samuel, NIPSS confirmed that one of the suspected attackers was neutralised, while several others escaped with varying degrees of injuries.
The institute said the attackers failed to gain access to its premises, assuring that participants of the Senior Executive Course, staff, residents, and facilities remained safe throughout the incident.
According to the statement, security agencies have intensified efforts to track down the fleeing suspects while strengthening surveillance and other proactive security measures within and around the institution.
NIPSS reaffirmed that the safety of lives and property remains its top priority and commended the prompt response and professionalism displayed by security operatives during the attack.
The institute also urged members of the public to disregard misinformation capable of causing unnecessary panic.
The latest assault comes just weeks after another failed attempt by gunmen to infiltrate the prestigious policy institute, raising fresh concerns over recurring security threats in the area.
The Indian government has directed Meta to delay the rollout of WhatsApp’s upcoming username feature, citing concerns that it could expose millions of users to fraud, phishing, and impersonation scams.
The move follows WhatsApp’s recent announcement that users worldwide would soon be able to connect using unique usernames instead of sharing their phone numbers, a feature designed to improve privacy.
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However, Indian authorities fear the change could be exploited by cybercriminals, particularly as the country continues to witness a sharp rise in online fraud.
According to reports, India’s Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology has asked Meta to suspend the launch of the feature until consultations with the government are completed.
Officials warned that fraudsters could register deceptive usernames and pose as trusted individuals or organisations, making it more difficult for users—especially those with limited digital literacy—to identify scams.
The ministry also expressed concerns that the feature could fuel phishing attacks, impersonation, and the growing trend of so-called “digital arrest” scams that have affected thousands of victims across the country.
Responding to the concerns, Meta said the username feature has not yet been launched in India. The company noted that usernames for public figures and verified accounts have already been reserved to prevent impersonation.
Meta also stressed that users will still need a phone number to create and use a WhatsApp account, adding that the platform has built multiple layers of protection into the new feature to help detect and prevent scams.
India is WhatsApp’s largest market, with more than 500 million users. Government figures show that cyber fraud losses in the country reached nearly $3 billion in 2025, almost 40 times higher than the amount recorded in 2021, underscoring the growing challenge of online crime.
The WhatsApp username feature is already available on WeChat, the messaging platform owned by Chinese technology company Tencent.
A three-year-old child has been rescued alive from beneath the rubble in Venezuela, six days after two powerful earthquakes devastated parts of the South American nation, offering a glimmer of hope amid a worsening humanitarian crisis.
The remarkable rescue took place in La Guaira, one of the areas hardest hit by the twin earthquakes measuring 7.2 and 7.5 magnitudes, which struck less than a minute apart on June 24.
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Rescue workers have continued round-the-clock search operations despite the challenges posed by repeated aftershocks.
The United Nations described the rescue as a powerful reminder that every life matters as emergency teams continue combing collapsed buildings for survivors.
According to Venezuelan authorities, the earthquakes have claimed nearly 2,000 lives, while more than 6,400 people have been rescued since the disaster struck.
Tens of thousands of survivors remain without adequate shelter, with humanitarian agencies warning that urgent needs continue to grow.
The UN refugee agency said the scale of the disaster has left thousands of families in desperate need of emergency assistance, while the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) confirmed that national and international rescue teams remain active in the affected communities.
UN Disaster Assessment and Coordination (UNDAC) teams are also assessing the extent of the destruction and identifying communities most in need of humanitarian support.
Officials said about 1,000 buildings, including hospitals, have either been damaged or completely destroyed.
More than 400 schools and water systems have also been severely affected, worsening living conditions for residents.
To support relief efforts, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has delivered an initial 47-tonne shipment of humanitarian supplies, including emergency medical kits, water purification materials, safe birth supplies, wheelchairs, child-friendly tents and educational materials. The shipment follows an earlier consignment that arrived from Panama.
UNICEF said the combined aid will support more than 100,000 children and their families over the next three months.
Speaking from La Guaira, UNICEF representative Gabriel Vockel said the organisation is working around the clock to reach as many children and families as possible, while appealing for more donations to expand its life-saving operations.
UNICEF Regional Director for Latin America and the Caribbean, Roberto Benes, said many affected families are sleeping outdoors for fear of continued aftershocks and remain in urgent need of clean water, healthcare and safe shelter.
The agency estimates that about 680,000 children across six affected states require humanitarian assistance following what has been described as Venezuela’s most significant earthquake disaster in more than a century.
Authorities also reported that more than 600 aftershocks have been recorded since the initial earthquakes, increasing concerns over further damage and risks to survivors.
UNICEF is seeking $52 million to respond to the earthquake emergency as part of its broader 2026 Humanitarian Action for Children appeal for Venezuela, which remains significantly underfunded.
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