By Ishaya Ibrahim
Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, visited Auchi, the home town of Adams Oshiomhole same day the former Governor of Edo State was flagging off his senatorial campaign. The mammoth crowd that cheered Obi in Auchi, took the shine away from Oshiomhole’s campaign kickoff.
Oshiomhole, during his campaign rally, accused Obi of contributing to the high unemployment figures in the country as an importer of finished goods.
Oshiomhole is the All Progressives Congress (APC) senatorial candidate for Edo North.
He said: “Obi owns the biggest shopping mall in Abuja and all the items sold there are imported, so if he is selling imported wines, clothes and other items, he is contributing to why Nigeria is going down because he is creating jobs abroad and importing unemployment to Nigeria.”
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Nigeria’s unemployment rate stands at 33. Per cent, up from 10.4 that the Buhari administration met it.
Obi, a former bank chief and a businessman, said he built his wealth importing choice beverages, among other consumables.
Most Nigerians depend on imported goods ranging from premium motor spirit to as minute as toothpicks, as the hostile business environment continues to favour importation ahead of local production.
Since emerging as the Labour Party flag bearer, Mr Obi, a former Anambra governor, has planked his campaign on moving the country from consumption to production, if elected in the 2023 polls.
Obi was at Auchi on Friday to confer with the traditional ruler Aliru Momoh, the Otaru of Auchi.
The visit drew out a mammoth crowd of Mr Obi’s supporters, taking a shine off Mr Oshiomhole’s event held at about the same time.
Mr Obi had been campaigning in Edo State since Thursday with hordes of ‘Obidients’ (his diehard supporters) thronging Benin, the state capital in large processions and motorcades. The march caused significant gridlock around the city.