The former Anambra State Governor said his role in the Obidient Movement is just to provide leadership and direction.
By Jeffrey Agbo
The Labour Party’s presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has warned that any attempt to ascribe religious, ethnic, and other parochial interests to the Obidient Movement will fail.
Obi tweeted this on Wednesday, noting that there is no looking back on the movement’s goal of taking back Nigeria because the time is now.
“In the life of every nation, there is a turning point. For Nigeria, that time is now; a time to save Nigeria, save our democracy, and give the Nigerian youths hope. The OBIdient Movement has been the arrowhead in the take-back Nigeria mission,” he wrote.
The former Anambra State governor said his role in the movement is just to provide leadership and direction, “My role in the Movement is that of a Focal Point. As I’ve always stressed, Nigeria remains a secular state. As such, the movement is not about my tribe or my religion, and it is not an Igbo agenda or in any way to Christianize Nigeria.”
“My aspiration is for a new Nigeria, where the children of a nobody will become somebody. A nation anchored on national interests, and not sectional interests; where the entire youths from the six geopolitical zones will have a sense of belonging in the affairs of their country.”
He said that his ambition is to lead a united and indivisible Nigeria and warned against ascribing ethnic or religious colouration to the Obidient Movement.
Obi drew the attention of Nigerians to Scotland where “a 37-year-old, Humza Yousaf, is set to become Scotland’s first minister, having won the keenly contested SNP’s leadership contest. Born to Pakistani parents, who emigrated to Scotland in the 60s, Yousaf is from the ethnic minority and a Muslim.
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“I have always maintained that Nigerians must rise above ethnicity, religion, and sectarian politics in matters of governance; and that the leadership selection process must be strictly based on Character, Competence, Capacity, and Compassion, only then, shall our democracy flourish, and our society progress. Contextually, the Scottish reality is instructive and presents us with some lessons learned and missed opportunities.”
Earlier, the leadership of the Labour Party held an interactive strategy session with Senators-elect and members-elect of the House of Representatives, a session Obi said was to discuss leadership and working modalities for the incoming legislators and which he noted was very constructive.
The LP standard bearer, who also on Tuesday attended the 16th Ayiam Osigwe Lecture in Lagos chaired by Emeka Anyaoku where the former UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson was the guest speaker, strongly maintained that democratic and economic development hinges on credible polls, education, and rule of law.
Obi finally enjoined Nigerians, to strive for a leadership imbued with character, competence, capacity, credibility, and commitment.