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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
The Enugu State Government has commended the Republic of Finland for the arrest of Simon Ekpa, a Finland-based leader of the proscribed separatist group, Autopilots.
Ekpa has been accused of orchestrating violence and chaos in Nigeria’s South East region.
In a statement issued on Friday by the Secretary to the State Government, Prof. Chidiebere Onyia, the government described Ekpa as a “common criminal, con man, and terrorist” who has exploited the Igbo people while claiming to represent their interests.
RELATED NEWS: Finnish Police Arrest Simon Ekpa Over Terror-Related Allegations
“The Enugu State Government welcomes the arrest of the Finland-based terrorist, Simon Ekpa,” the statement read.
“His arrest and trial will no doubt go a long way in strengthening peace, security, and stability in all parts of the South East.”
The state government accused Ekpa of sponsoring violent activities that have resulted in the loss of lives, destruction of property, and disruption of the region’s economic activities.
It stated that Ekpa’s actions were driven by personal greed and not genuine concern for the Igbo people.
Onyia said, “Ekpa is a murderer and fraudster who delights in killing his people and living large off their misery.
“He thrives on manipulating, exploiting, and extorting the people on the pretext of fighting for their interest and for the restoration of Biafra.”
The government emphasized its readiness to provide evidence of Ekpa’s alleged crimes to support his prosecution, whether in Finland or Nigeria.
“This arrest is in line with the demand of the Governor Peter Mbah Administration, which has repeatedly made it known that Ekpa is a megalomaniac, common criminal, murderer, and fraudster who takes joy in feeding fat on the manipulated emotions of Ndigbo and inflicting misery on the South East region,” the statement added.
The government further criticized Ekpa for fostering a climate of fear and insecurity that has harmed the entrepreneurial spirit and economic growth of the Igbo people.
“Ekpa has for long, and unfortunately from Finland, made a living by creating a siege climate and mentality in the South East, destroying lives, property, and the Igbo trademark of entrepreneurship and hard work,” Onyia said.
The Enugu State Government expressed optimism that Ekpa’s arrest would mark a turning point in the quest for peace and stability in the South East, urging residents to remain vigilant and supportive of ongoing efforts to restore normalcy in the region.
The COP29 presidency has unveiled an ambitious climate finance plan, calling on developed nations to provide $250 billion annually to developing countries by 2035.
The proposal, part of a broader initiative to mobilize $1.3 trillion from public and private sources each year, seeks to address the mounting challenges posed by climate change.
The five-page draft text, released on Friday, emphasizes the need for developed nations to lead the charge in financing climate action.
RELATED NEWS: COP29: Climate Summit Faces Deadlock Over Vague Funding Proposals For Vulnerable Nations
According to the document, this financial commitment is seen as a critical step toward combating the climate crisis and fostering sustainable development globally.
“In this context, it is decided to set a goal in extension of the goal referred to in paragraph 53 of decision 1/CP.21, with developed country Parties taking the lead, to USD 250 billion per year by 2035 for developing country Parties for climate action,” the draft states.
The announcement follows the release of an earlier 10-page draft on Thursday, which drew significant criticism from Global South delegations.
Many expressed frustration that the document lacked clear financial commitments from wealthier nations, falling short of expectations to support adaptation and mitigation efforts.
“There is a clear need to address the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities, especially given the diverse circumstances shaping national priorities,” a negotiator from a developing country delegation remarked.
The updated proposal aims to address some of these concerns by outlining more specific targets. However, skepticism remains among some negotiators, who feel the revisions still fail to adequately address their demands.
Meanwhile, developed countries have raised their own reservations about the proposed plan.
A European negotiator, speaking to Reuters, described the $250 billion annual target as unrealistic and criticized the lack of measures to expand the pool of contributing countries.
“No one is comfortable with the number because it’s high, and there’s almost nothing on broadening the contributor base,” the negotiator said.
The mixed reactions underscore the persistent divide between developed and developing nations in climate negotiations.
While the draft text aims to reconcile these differences, the gap between expectations and commitments remains a significant hurdle.
The President of the African School of Governance, Kingsley Chiedu Moghalu has admonished state actors against resorting to brutal force in the bid to muscle out separatist agitators.
In the aftermath of Mazi Simon Ekpa, the Finland based Biafran nationalist agitator being caught in legal web and the Nigerian government moving swiftly to seek his repatriation, the former deputy governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has cautioned that ‘We either fix our problems, or our problems will eventually “fix” us. No alternative to a renegotiated union.’
ALSO READ: Finnish Police Arrest Simon Ekpa Over Terror-Related Allegations
The political economist, while expressing his hope in Nigeria, made it clear that “hope is not a strategy”.
He bared his mind in a series of posts on his verified handle on micro-blogging site, X on Friday.
Moghalu wrote, “Despite sustained contemporary difficulties, I am hopeful about Nigeria. But hope is not a strategy. We need to improve state capacity for effective governance.
“We either fix our problems, or our problems will eventually “fix” us. No alternative to a renegotiated union.
“We must learn to be honest with ourselves and address the root causes of our problems. Why ignore them, when the problem is actually quite solvable? The problem with continuing with this approach is that when the danger crystallizes, those who thought they were benefiting from
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