Peter Obi, the Labour Party (LP) presidential candidate in the 2023 general election, has stated that he is not interested in forming a coalition with other political parties solely to gain power ahead of the 2027 elections.
Obi made this statement on Monday in Abuja while speaking at the sidelines of a national conference titled “Strengthening Democracy in Nigeria.”
The conference, organized by renowned groups such as the African Centre for Leadership, Strategy & Development (Centre LSD) and the Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD), focused on promoting good governance and political integrity in the country.
Addressing questions about the proposed coalition, Obi emphasized that his main priority is the well-being of Nigerians and the progress of the nation.
“For me, what is important is let’s discuss Nigeria. Whether we are going to do coalition…let’s talk about the future of the country,” he said.
Obi expressed his disinterest in coalitions focused solely on grabbing power.
He added, “But often, we abandon the country and what we need to do, talking about power grab.
“I’m not interested in any coalition for the purpose of taking power. It is about discussing Nigeria. How do we care about securing Nigerians? How do we care about the common person in Nigeria? How do we care about our children being in school? That is the most important thing for now.”
Obi’s purported plans to join forces with other opposition presidential contenders in order to overthrow the ruling All Progressives Congress in the upcoming general election have recently made headlines.
The former governor of Anambra State also discussed the necessity of ending Nigeria’s political monetization.
His words: “That’s what we need to remove, because what you’re doing is that you’re encouraging stealing of public money. Because if I steal it and use it to win an election, I get all the power and everything, including immunity not to be prosecuted. So we must stop it. That is what is driving the stealing.”
Kashim Shettima, who was represented by his Special Adviser on Political Matters, Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, also spoke at the conference.
He said the conference was holding at a time when democracy as a system of government was being challenged the world over to reveal its essence.
Shettima stated: “Our failure to prioritise the learning of history means that older generations, who appreciate the superiority of democratic systems over others, have the honourable task for creating a democratic system that speaks for itself in terms of impact only on the lives of citizens as a huge responsibility.
“Nigeria’s democracy must mean a lot more than asking Nigerians to line up every four years to elect leaders. It must mean, in practical terms, that leaders commit to the demands of elected leadership in very transparent manners.
“That mandates giving to them to govern, make themselves to people, to the interests of the people, custodians of their assets and protectors of their interests. The best leaders are people who exercise power only to promote the interests of their people.”
A former Vice-President of Ghana, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, also spoke at the event.
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