What do I offer you: coffee, tea, water?” asked Peter Obi, the minor-party candidate leading the polls to become president of Africa’s most populous country. Such hospitality is to be expected: in years of interviewing west African politicians, I’ve never known one not to offer refreshments. Usually the Big Man barks out an order, and a couple of minutes later a flunky shuffles in deferentially with drinks.

With Obi, things are different. Though running late and in danger of missing his flight, he ambled over to the kettle himself. “Do you want a big cup or a small one? I’ve brought you a variety of teas,” he said. “It’s not important I have tea,” I protested, not wanting to make him miss a day of campaigning. “Do you need honey?” he asked.

That Mr Obi has been able so rapidly to challenge a two-party system is largely because he offers a very different sort of politics in Nigeria, where for decades the electoral calculus was largely based on politicians stoking up divisions along the lines of religion, ethnicity and regional affiliation. The candidates of the two main parties, Bola Tinubu of the ruling apc and Atiku Abubakar of the pdp, seem to still be campaigning with the aim of turning out the vote among their ethnic and religious bases. Mr Obi, by contrast, has reached across the country’s main divides, holding rallies in his opponents’ strongholds (focusing on Lagos, the commercial capital and Mr Tinubu’s stronghold, in particular) and urging voters to base their choice on character and track record.

His own record as a two-term governor of Anambra state is encouraging, though not entirely unblemished. When he took office in 2006 the state was running fiscal deficits and services were deteriorating as measured by the Human Development Index (hdi), which looks at indicators including income, education and life expectancy. At the conclusion of his second term he left the state with a fiscal surplus and it was ranked third in Nigeria by hdi.

“Obi, obi, obi” chants the bouncing crowd, fists in the air, as Peter Obi strides into a campaign rally after having unexpectedly taken a lead in the race to become the next president of Nigeria. The outcome of the election, scheduled for February 25th, will reverberate far beyond Nigeria’s borders. A free and fair vote in the continent’s biggest democracy would send a telling signal across Africa, where freedom is in retreat in a number of countries after a spate of coups, rigged votes and the abandonment of presidential term limits.

The stakes in this race are especially high for Nigeria, too. Africa’s biggest economy—and home to roughly one in six Africans—is in a deep malaise, with incomes stagnant and poverty, especially in the rural north, at shockingly high levels. And the country risks sliding into ungovernability. Although not yet a failed state, large parts of Nigeria are failing, sending instability spilling over its borders and dragging down the region’s economy. Last year about 10,000 people were killed in violent conflicts. Some of the country’s biggest problems stem from at least four overlapping security crises.

We can only continue to play politics of ethnicity, religion, region and money bags at the peril of our country and to self-destruction. We need selfless, courageous, honest, patriotic, in short, outstanding leadership with character and fear of God beyond what we have had in recent past.

None of the contestants is a saint but when one compares their character, antecedent, understanding, knowledge, discipline and vitality that they can bring to bear.The great efforts required to stay focused on the job particularly looking at where the country is today and with the experience on the job that I personally had, Peter Obi as a mentee has an edge.

Others like all of us have what they can contribute to the new dispensation to liberation, restoration and salvaging of Nigeria collectively. One other important point to make about Peter is that he is a needle with thread attached to it from North and South and he may not get lost. In other words, he has people who can pull his ears, if and when necessary. Needless to say that he has a young and able running mate with clean track record of achievement both in public and private life.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0R56VK2dDbA
Peter Obi's Chatham House Address: "Witty, Charming, Intelligent" - John Cookson

Tochi3:
Chai...Cry go start again now ..

id911:


https://www.economist.com/1843/2023/02/12/on-the-trail-with-the-surprise-front-runner-in-nigerias-presidential-race

https://www.economist.com/interactive/middle-east-and-africa/2023/02/14/can-a-political-underdog-save-nigeria?fsrc=core-app-economist

Racoon:
Why wouldn't they cry?

Elections: Why APC leaders are at war with Buhari -Shehu Sani

2023: Fuel, Naira scarcity targeted at crippling Tinubu’s chances

Even with Buhari’s support, Tinubu won’t win in Katsina - Ex-NHIS boss

Naira Redesign: Masari Accuses Emefiele of Working Against APC’s Victory
https://twitter.com/THISDAYLIVE/status/1625941432463724555?t=GyE_iFnXJZnB_tWcR-SbhA&s=08

No matter how you want to see it, this CBN Naira Redesign introduced within election period is a plot to stop Bola Ahmed Tinubu from becoming the President of Nigeria. How else can you explain this provocative action within this period? How? By Allah, this plot too shall fail! https://twitter.com/adamugarba/status/1625751267459883008?s=08

And now, a final check between being alive and lifeless on life support;

id911:

https://www.economist.com/1843/2023/02/12/on-the-trail-with-the-surprise-front-runner-in-nigerias-presidential-race

https://www.economist.com/interactive/middle-east-and-africa/2023/02/14/can-a-political-underdog-save-nigeria?fsrc=core-app-economist

SATANICALLY:
In a 2018 interview, Peter Obi said he invested $20 million in International Breweries on behalf of Anambra state as a governor.

Obi’s claim was in response to questions on economic development, Anambra politics and his presidential ambition.

“… Anambra state is the single-highest shareholder in that facility. I invested in it, over $20 million,” Obi had said.

“It is worth almost $100 [million] today. That’s what government should do.”

TheCable had previously fact-checked some of the claims.

Chukwuma Soludo, governor of Anambra, also debunked a recent statement ascribed to him regarding the investment.

International Breweries (IB) Plc is a subsidiary of the world’s largest brewer, Anheuser-Busch InBev (AB InBev) — a multinational drink and brewing giant based in Leuven, Belgium.

In its 2021 audited financial statement, the company said it holds 43 percent economic interest in International Breweries Plc, a publicly listed company in Nigeria.

According to a report by The Nation, AB InBev merged its Nigerian operations under a single corporate entity in 2017. It had three indirect Nigerian subsidiaries — International Breweries Plc, Intafact Beverages Limited and Pabod Breweries Limited. SABMiller Nigeria Holdings BV — another subsidiary of AB InBev — was also a major stakeholder in Intafact and Pabod.

ANAMBRA’S INVESTMENT

In a statement made available to TheCable on Tuesday, Ifeatu Onejeme, Anambra’s commissioner of finance, confirmed that Peter Obi’s administration invested the sum of N1,955,535,247.00 (an equivalent of approximately $12,616,356.43 at the then average CBN exchange rate of N155.00/$1) in Intafact Beverages Limited, a green-field brewery set up in Onitsha by SABMiller Breweries of South Africa in 2012.

Onejeme added that the state government still holds 407,321,264 ordinary shares of International Breweries Plc in exchange for the Intafact Beverages Limited investment.

“Based on the NGX closing price of N5.50 as of 20/6/22, these shares were valued at N2,240,266,952 on that date,” the statement reads in part.

“Based on the Central Bank of Nigeria I&E exchange rate of N415.75/US$1.00 on same June 20, 2022, this investment was valued at an equivalent of approximately US$5,388,495.37 (and at N604/$1.00 parallel market rate, only US$3,709,051.24).”

https://www.thecable.ng/revealed-peter-obi-administrations-12-24m-investment-in-international-breweries-now-worth-5-38m/