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Politics › Re: Why Tinubu's Failure Is Not Suprising by Bobloco: 10:02pm On Jan 28, 2024 |
DMerciful: Tinubu has failed already. His administration is damaged Fact! |
Politics › Re: Defection: Nobody Can Stop Me From Contesting In 2027 - Kwankwaso by Bobloco: 9:35pm On Jan 28, 2024 |
yarimo: Well said kwankwaso, in fact OBI and ATIKU must contest again as president in 2027 In a single ticket |
Politics › Re: We’ve Returned To Buhari Era – CUPP Kicks Over Tinubu’s Frequent Foreign Trips by Bobloco(op): 9:34pm On Jan 28, 2024 |
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Politics › Re: 2025: Soludo Will Have Smooth Sailing Victory- APGA by Bobloco: 9:33pm On Jan 28, 2024 |
Soludo seems to be jittery |
Politics › Re: Constituents Collate Signatures To Recall Simon Lalong by Bobloco: 8:17pm On Jan 28, 2024 |
HeadlessMob: He is not the only one. Ortom also lost and that failure Ipeazu or what is his name from Aba also lost. They are all sitting governors that lost Just look at them all.....outright failures during their tenure as governor |
Politics › Re: Constituents Collate Signatures To Recall Simon Lalong by Bobloco: 8:00pm On Jan 28, 2024 |
007kjb: It is only a dullard that will reject a MINISTER OF LABOUR just to be in the Senate It shows that the Man have nothing to offer True I have been wondering how Lalong, as a sitting governor, could lose his senatorial election. |
Politics › Re: Defection: Nobody Can Stop Me From Contesting In 2027 - Kwankwaso by Bobloco: 7:45pm On Jan 28, 2024 |
Of course, and win only Kano state |
Politics › Re: Police Recruitment: Otti Concerned As 700 Abia Candidates Shun Interview by Bobloco: 5:32pm On Jan 28, 2024 |
PROUDIGBO: Your entire post reeks of conjectural claptrap yet you have the temerity to ask others to 'be reasonable and not emotional'!?
Mazi Kanu was kidnapped in Kenya and has been held unjustly for years in your 'just Nigeria'.....with your 'just federal gov't' employing all sorts of delay tactics and tricks to stall the trial of someone they'd have the world believe they have a cast-iron case against! The same 'just federal gov't' is releasing murderous terrorists who they claim have promised not to be naughty anymore! The entire sordid affair would have been laughable if it wasn't so tragic!
You see all the criminality your wicked Nigerian security are engaged in, yet you're fixated on trying to label IPOB as 'criminals'! A peaceful secessionist organisation that's only interested in a referendum aimed at freeing their people from the hellhole of 'one Nigeria'!
What's your ethnicity and which of the three major presidential candidates in the last election did you support? I want to check something! Thank you for this response They have made Igbos and IPOB their past time target because they can't face the North who have been threatening Tinubu left, right and center |
Politics › We’ve Returned To Buhari Era – CUPP Kicks Over Tinubu’s Frequent Foreign Trips by Bobloco(op): 4:48pm On Jan 28, 2024 |
The Coalition of United Political Parties, CUPP, has disagreed with President Bola Tinubu over his recent private trip to France. The group wonders why the president would be embarking on such a trip while, according to it, Nigeria is in dire need of leadership. CUPP said it is disturbed and not happy by the frequency of Tinubu’s so-called private trips to France, adding that the country may have just returned to the Buhari era. It recommends that, while choosing a leader, a comprehensive health and fitness test be made compulsory so that Nigerians will avoid this situation in the future. “It is our hope and belief that these private trips do not involve something untoward that is hidden from Nigerians who voted for him to salvage the country, which has been in a downward spiral,” the coalition said in a statement signed by its national publicity secretary, Peter Ameh. “Tongues have begun to wag, and speculations are beginning to abound about the real reasons for these private trips. “We hope that Nigeria is not about to witness another Buhari 2.0 presidency where, from time to time, without any form of announcement, the President would sneak out of the country to a foreign country for medical treatment in the name of private visit. “President Tinubu should realise that Nigeria is beset on all sides by insecurity, galloping inflation, hunger and starvation, unemployment that is running wild and out of control, etcetera. The value of the naira is speeding southward, with our currency exchanging at almost a thousand five hundred naira to the United States dollar.” CUPP said it feels and recommends “that the country needs a hands-on-deck president, and whatever the reason for these private visits can be conveniently handled in Nigeria or in the absence of such facilities being available, provision should be urgently made to have them brought to Nigeria. “Nigeria needs the physical presence of their president to have that assurance that the job of Mr. President has not been outsourced to those who have no business exercising it.” https://dailypost.ng/2024/01/28/weve-returned-to-buhari-era-cupp-kicks-over-tinubus-frequent-foreign-trips/ |
Politics › Re: Why Tinubu's Failure Is Not Suprising by Bobloco: 4:39pm On Jan 28, 2024 |
HeatSeeker: In all fairness, it is too early to write off the Tinubu administration. Mid-term will be ideal to truly know whether or not he has truly failed. Tinubu became a disaster right from the Inauguration ground when he made that thoughtless "subsidy is gone" pronouncement |
Foreign Affairs › Re: Niger, Mali And Burkina Faso Are Withdrawing From ECOWAS by Bobloco: 3:58pm On Jan 28, 2024 |
Good radiance......
No benefit being a member of ECOWAS |
Politics › Re: My Biggest 2023 Election Lessons — Peter Obi by Bobloco(op): 3:56pm On Jan 28, 2024 |
merits: Obi the crime master, you can never be my president. Unfortunately, you are not God |
Politics › Re: Are We On The Right Track by Bobloco: 2:35pm On Jan 28, 2024 |
Brendaniel: You guys still don't get it.... Please, what are we not getting |
Politics › Re: After Tinubu The Next President Should Come From The North Central by Bobloco: 2:32pm On Jan 28, 2024 |
yarimo: SHITTIMA / OLUREMI TINUBU will take over from TINUBU in 2031 according to majority of Nigerians No! It should be SHETTIMA/YARIMO to take over from Tinubu in 2031 according to majority of Bulabans and minions |
Politics › Re: President Tinubu Watch & Celebrates Super Eagles Win Against Cameroon (Video) by Bobloco: 11:27am On Jan 28, 2024 |
gbemishile: Is that so Wow. Interesting Wail me morrrrreee While you continue to scream “Ebi npa wa oo” |
Politics › Re: Police Recruitment: Otti Concerned As 700 Abia Candidates Shun Interview by Bobloco: 10:52am On Jan 28, 2024 |
adabaraabdul: This marginalisation thing you igbos say is very funny to me. If you guys want more representation in Government, you guys must learn how to play politics and key to the center, Governors like Imo state Gov. understands this. Playing regional politics will not take one far, spread your tentacles to the centre, make networks. But truly the people marginalised in Nigerian Government are the minorities spread all over the federation, the bulk of them all are more than all the Igbos in Nigeria. They are the ones truly marginalised. Nigeria does not belong to Hausa, Igbos and Yorubas. Thank you. You play regional politics before going national Tinubu played regional politics before he went national |
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Politics › Re: President Tinubu Watch & Celebrates Super Eagles Win Against Cameroon (Video) by Bobloco: 10:21am On Jan 28, 2024 |
Bluntemperor: You are not better than those selling the Dollars for Naira- you know why? Why do you troubles your Soul on N/Dollar Rate? Why should Nigerians continued to talk on Dollars because Dollar is a Currency but we are not Producing anything to exchange - even the Natural Resources - God given Resources to Nigeria- the Crude Oil - have been Stolen till date- that everyone, except few in Nigeria, have Corrupted themselves! 1• What are we Producing in Nigeria for Exchange to boost the Naira? 2• What is the Productions of NNPC,the DISCOS Inputs of Power,etc,- to Nigeria Economy -- Zero Fuel, Zero Power( even as I'm typing - No Light in Ikorodu since yesterday,as I passed through the City and was informed this Morning) yet somebody is talking - $ to Naira? Do you think US can do without lights in a day? -If there is no light in New York a Day- so much Crimes will occur or don't you know what American Productions Capacity is Carrying? Are we really Serious here in Nigeria at all? -Let us ask Mr Adebayo-what has been happening in his Power Ministry? Excuses! -The truth is that Social Media Agents- are contributing Negatively, instead of Asking Serious Questions - from the MIDAS- Min and Depts-how far have their Departments been making impacts to Nigeria? 3• What has been the Agricultural Sector doing? Trillions (N) of Anchor Borrowers Money have disappeared through the CBN during your Governor Emiefiele,so no food in Nigeria! 4• What has been the Min.of Trade Approaches to Nigeria - Exports and Imports,to help Nigeria gain more Exports to other Countries? 5• What has been the Min.of Employments, Labour and Productivity Contributions- since their Budgets were signed into Law and how many Youths - have gotten Employments - since this Administration came to Power? • Do you know that DISCOS are the real Enemies of Nigeria- because without Lights - No Industilisation will ever take place- No Steel Productions,No Manufacturing Companies will grow under usage of Generators! •Make Una continue to Shout- Dollars to Naira,as if Germany is shouting - ¢ Euro to Dollars,etc. Without serious Productions - Nothing for NIGERIANS! Tell Tinubu and his patch patch CV CBN governor to seek for advice. For over 16 years, under the PDP government, Nigeria wasn't producing anything to boast the Naira; oil was the only mainstay of the economy, but the exchange rate didn't go beyond N250 to a dollar. Now compare it with the APC, they met it at N250 to a dollar in 2015. Within nine years, the naira is exchanging over N1450 for a dollar. The PDP was able to achieve that because they engaged competent individuals in critical sectors of the economy, for example, Ngozi okonjo iweala, Sanusi, Soludo, Adeshina, etc. Wale Edun, the current minister of finance, recently confirmed that the last time Nigeria had a stable economy was over a decade ago, which was during the PDP era. It is evidence that Tinubu, the CBN governor, is incompetent. |
Politics › Re: PHOTO: Fugitive 'mastermind' Of Yoruba Nation Agitators Mayhem In Lagos Arrested by Bobloco: 9:12am On Jan 28, 2024 |
illicit: Are u a developer? Not at all |
Politics › Re: President Tinubu Watch & Celebrates Super Eagles Win Against Cameroon (Video) by Bobloco: 7:55am On Jan 28, 2024 |
This singular act undertaken by the president has led to the dollar crashing against the naira. The naira is now exchanging N300 to a dollar from the over N1400 to a dollar it did exchange the previous week, with inflation returning to a single digit, kidnappings, and banditry becoming a thing of the past. |
Politics › Re: PHOTO: Fugitive 'mastermind' Of Yoruba Nation Agitators Mayhem In Lagos Arrested by Bobloco: 6:54am On Jan 28, 2024 |
illicit: Nwosa Henry
Agitating for Yoruba Nation?
🥵 In your warped bigotry mind, you think it's another developer. nahhhh! You are wrong He is a true descendant of the great Oduduwa. An agitator fighting for the restoration of Oduduwa Nation |
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Politics › Those Opposing Relocation Of CBN, FAAN Depts Are Mischief-Makers – Shettima by Bobloco(op): 4:49am On Jan 28, 2024 |
Vice President of Nigeria, Senator Kashim Shettima has lampooned those opposing the federal government’s decision to relocate some departments and units of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) from Abuja to Lagos, saying the move is for the interest of the generality of Nigerians.
Shettima said President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s ‘Renewed Hope Agenda’ would not make any policy or decision that would be sectional, or at the detriment of some geographical location of the nation, and described those opposing the relocation process of these departments as mischief makers.
The VP spoke on Saturday as a Special Guest of Honour at the 10th Annual of Sir Ahmadu Bello Memorial Lecture and Merit Awards which took place in Maiduguri, Borno state.
Represented by his Special Adviser on Political Matters, Dr. Hakeem Baba-Ahmed on the theme: “Creating Pathways for Peace: Tackling Banditry and Insurgency through Good Governance for Sustainable Development in Nigeria”, Shettima said, late Sir Ahmadu Bello, the Sardauna of Sokoto of blessed memory lived a worthy life of emulation for the betterment of the North and the country as a whole, and commended members of the Foundation for not only choosing Borno as venue for the Lecture, but the theme which is apt and timely, in view of the numerous security challenges affecting the state, the North East sub-region, and the country in general.
He said, “the event in line with President Tinubu’s vision, has brought about many critical stakeholders including traditional rulers to collectively brainstorm and chat a new way forward in bringing lasting solutions to end insecurity, banditry, kidnapping, poverty, corruption and all other social vices in the region and the nation in general.
“Recently, there were those opposing the federal government’s decision over planned relocation of some departments and units of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) from Abuja to Lagos, I want to reassure the people of the North that the move is for the interest of the generality of Nigerians.
“President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s ‘Renewed Hope Agenda’ would not make any policy or decision that would be sectional, or at the detriment of some geographical location of the nation, therefore, those opposing the relocation process of some of the departments should desist, or else they are acting as mischief makers.” Shettima stated.
In his speech, the Chairman, Board of Trustee of Sir Ahmadu Bello Memorial Foundation, Chief Servant and former governor of Niger state, Dr. Muazu Babangida Aliyu said, the gathering is to commemorate the significant milestone and enduring legacy of Sir Ahmadu Bello, the Sardauna of Sokoto, whose vision and leadership continue to inspire northerners in their quest for a better Nigeria.
The Guest Speaker, Professor Tijjani Mohammed Banded, whose paper dwelled extensively on tackling Insecurity through good governence suggested that, “for the North to have sustainable development, all hands must be on deck with those in government to rebuild trust and work for peace building, provision of quality education, modernization of Agriculture, building infrastructures, rebuilding civil service and building credible media.”
He therefore appealed to those in higher position of government to shun corruption, and must work together to enhance development, by recognizing the critical roles of traditional rulers in peace building, and also deal with citizenship and ethnic considerations.
The Chairman of the occasion, Gombe state Governor, who is also the Chairman of Northern Governors Forum, Alhaji Inuwa Yahaya, said, the Foundation since inception, has played a greater role in creating peace, unity and Progress’ amongst Nigerians, which were parts of legacies of late Sir Ahmadu Bello, the Sardauna of Sokoto.
He therefore assured that the 19- state governors under his Chairmanship would continue to support the sustainability of the Foundation.
Also the Chief Hosts, Governor Babagana Zulum and the Shehu of Borno, Dr Abubakar Ibn-Umar Garbai Al Amin El-Kanemi commended the organizers and choosing Borno as venue, as it would accord the people an opportunity to proffer a lasting solutions to the insecurity and poverty ravaging the state and the entire North.
Likewise, the Senate President, Senator Godswill Okpabio, who was represented by Senator (Borno Central), Barrister Kaka Shehu Lawan said, the national assembly would key into the Sardauna’s Foundation towards creation of peace, unity and development of the region and the country in general.
In attendance were Governors of Niger, Gombe and the host Borno, while that of Bauchi and Kaduna were represented by the Deputy Governor, and Secretary to the Kaduna State Government, SSG. https://www.vanguardngr.com/2024/01/those-opposing-relocation-of-cbn-faan-depts-are-mischief-makers-shettima/amp/
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Sports › Re: Nigeria Vs.Cameroon: AFCON Round Of 16. (2 - 0) On 27th January 2024 by Bobloco: 10:16pm On Jan 27, 2024 |
deji17: What is Onyeka doing in the team? Any Northerner playing is your problem ignoring the abysmal performance of the eboes in the team. Can you take back your words |
Politics › Re: My Biggest 2023 Election Lessons — Peter Obi by Bobloco(op): 8:05pm On Jan 27, 2024 |
BondRiv: Do something about your gay son. Tinubu is yet to do something about his wayward gay daughter; maybe just maybe this could be the reason for this great tinubulation that has befallen the nation. |
Politics › Re: My Biggest 2023 Election Lessons — Peter Obi by Bobloco(op): 6:45pm On Jan 27, 2024*. Modified: 7:59pm On Jan 27, 2024 |
yarimo: Op you are here typing long thrash, while OBI was caught looking at married woman boobs Yarimo, your eyes are sharp What is Tinubu gazing lustfully at in this picture?
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Politics › Re: My Biggest 2023 Election Lessons — Peter Obi by Bobloco(op): 6:21pm On Jan 27, 2024 |
seunmsg: No one is interested in whatever you have to say or whatever lessons you learnt. You are a very irresponsible father who can’t even guide your own son to the right path. The father of a gay will never rule Nigeria.
Go and learn how to raise children who will continue your name and not men who give it to fellow men from behind in a very immoral, irresponsible, horrible and disgusting manner. If Peter Obi is irresponsible, what will you describe Tinubu because you know that his daughter is queer |
Politics › My Biggest 2023 Election Lessons — Peter Obi by Bobloco(op): 5:40pm On Jan 27, 2024 |
•How Tinubu can achieve positive resultsMr. Peter Obi, former Governor of Anambra State and the presidential candidate of the Labour Party in the February 25, 2023 spoke with Ikechukwu Amaechi on the lessons of the February 2023 Presidential elections and the state of the nation. Excerpts:
The 2023 elections have come and gone. What are the biggest lessons you learnt therefrom? Well, for me, the biggest lesson is the fact that Nigerians are actually committed to good governance. They are not as complacent as people thought they were because they, especially the youths, were actually committed to doing the right thing. That is why they came out in their numbers to participate in the elections.
The second lesson is the realisation that the leaders, most people in the elite class are not actually interested in good governance because you can classify the electoral umpire as part of the elite class, the government, all of us are not prepared to do the right thing because if the elites are prepared to do the right thing, the result or the outcome of the election would have been different.
But for me the elections have come and gone and I don’t want to talk about the issue of the 2023 elections again. It has come and gone and I am done with it.
What I am talking about now are issues of governance because the average Nigerian today is talking about the Nigeria of today, and the Nigeria of tomorrow. That is what is important.
Talking about governance, are you satisfied with where Nigeria is today?
That is really a question for the generality of Nigerians to answer. Ask the average Nigerian how he is faring today. The truth is that we have many more Nigerians thrown into poverty, millions of Nigerians don’t know where the next meal will come from. Nobody is sure what the price of a cup of rice, garri or a loaf of bread will be tomorrow. So, it is Nigerians that you should ask the question.
It is not a question for me to answer. It is not something I alone will tell you. Ask Nigerians, the masses out there on the streets of Nigeria and you will get a feel of what they are going through. But I know that the situation is critical.
But President Bola Tinubu will definitely disagree. He is of the opinion that his reforms – removal of fuel subsidy and floating of the Naira – in particular are not only bold and consequential but are working, so much so that speaking at the 10th German-Nigerian Business Forum in Berlin, Germany in November 2023, he said he deserves to be listed in the Guinness World Records for the reforms he has made since assuming office on May 29, 2023. He may actually be correct when he claims that his name deserves to be in the Guinness World Records. Don’t forget that people’s names don’t always make it into the Guinness World Records for only altruistic reasons. So, it depends on which angle he is coming from. If the idea is to put his name in the Guinness Book of Records for causing Nigerians the most hardship – untold hardship, of course he is spot on and I will totally agree with him because his reforms are not achieving what they are meant to achieve.
But some of your critics say that both you and Atiku Abubakar, presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), also promised to remove the fuel subsidy if elected. So, Tinubu did it. What is wrong with that?
Yes, I agree that the fuel subsidy has to be removed because it is not sustainable, but there should have been gains from the removal. Right now, they say they are saving billions of Naira, which nobody is feeling the positive impact. The other subsidy is the exchange rate. They said when the Naira is floated, people will be able to access foreign exchange at the same rate. But today there is even a wider gap between the official exchange rate and the unofficial rate. The official rate is about N900 to $1 while the unofficial rate hovers between N1,300 to N1,400. So, the gap today is even bigger.
The implication is that we are doing something that is just not right. It is not enough to claim that you have removed subsidy. And these are the things that we need to look into because the idea of reforms is that it is something that would have helped Nigeria to begin to walk on the right path, in the right direction and it must be all-inclusive. I have always said reforms in governance should be in all sectors simultaneously. We should be dealing with the issues of cutting the cost of governance, corruption, all forms of waste, targeting priority areas – education, health, pulling people out of poverty, simultaneously.
You cannot do one and leave the others. What you are doing has to be seen by the people. I was a governor and we dealt with these issues simultaneously and holistically. That is the only way to achieve positive results. If you do one and leave the others, you are bound to have problems. These issues should be dealt with simultaneously and transparently. People have to see what you are doing.
But Tinubu on January 9, directed that all the entourage to state and international events be drastically reduced by 60 per cent. Shouldn’t that suffice?
No, no! I am talking about cost of governance, overall cost of governance. And remember what I just said, everything has to go simultaneously. You cannot do this and leave that. It has to be done across board.
Some people strongly believe that despite the removal of fuel subsidy, the Tinubu government may, in fact, be paying a much higher subsidy now for Nigerians to be able to buy petrol at N600 per litre given the strength of our national currency. Do you have that feeling too?
Well, I have just told you that anything we are going to do, we must do it in such a way that people will see the gains. And there must be a clear destination of where we are headed, where such policies will take us. It is easy when you tell people to suffer today because in five years, ten years, they will get to the Promised Land and everybody who is preaching that is in the same vehicle. So, everyone is in the same situation.
You cannot be preaching A and doing B. You cannot tell people, let us fast and they are seeing you feasting. If you preach fasting, everybody must be seen to be fasting. Some shouldn’t be feasting while telling others to fast. The issues that are fundamental today starting with the issue of security of lives and property, people must see the government doing something. It is not about empty rhetoric. Governance is hard work. They must see and appreciate that their leaders care for them, their welfare. Unfortunately, that seems not to be the case. All they see now is the elites celebrating when the masses are poverty-stricken and told to further tighten their belts.
But again, speaking at the second term inauguration of Governor Hope Uzodimma last Monday, Tinubu assured Nigerians of an impending economic recovery, expressing confidence in the country’s ability to overcome the adverse effects of the fuel subsidy removal. He was upbeat about the country reaping positive outcomes from the elimination of the fuel pump price subsidy. He said in the past 40 years, a few people were cornering our commonwealth, and calling it subsidy but assured that things are looking up. “Things will get better for the good of all Nigerians. With me, there is hope,” he said. Nigerians will be the judge. Of course, the picture he is painting is unreal. That means he is far removed from reality. I tweeted this week that things are getting worse, not better. People must learn how to govern and serve transparently and truthfully. The reality is there for everyone to see. Even if we did things wrongly in the past, like some people will refer to me and say, when you were there what happened, even if we did it wrongly in the past, must we continue doing the wrong things now?
Remember when I was campaigning, I said, I will draw a line because if people did the wrong things yesterday, I am not saying they should go free, but let us draw a line, let us start now and say, no more because we have seen where the wrong things of yesterday have gotten us to. So, if people yesterday did the wrong things, yes, I agree that we should ask questions if need be, but for me, on a scale of 100 per cent, I will devote 10 per cent energy on yesterday because yesterday is gone and put 90 per cent on today and tomorrow because those who only think about yesterday will not be able to meet up with the demands of today and tomorrow.
And I am talking to you from experience – what I have done before. That is why I laugh when people say to me, Peter when you were there, Anambra’s rating on this or that was so and so but when your successor came, it improved. But they forget that it was what I did that my successor was being rated on. People say, when you were there, education was not good, it was when Willy Obiano came that it improved; poverty rating was this. But they forget that it was what I did that improved the ratings. So, you must concentrate on dealing with today. For me, I want to see the cost of governance cut drastically in every area today and the money invested in priority areas. That is what will be used to measure tomorrow.
I want to see corruption reduced to the barest minimum today. That is what will guarantee our tomorrow. And in doing all this, there should be no grabbing of headlines, no media frenzy. When the right things are done, everyone will see it and feel it. When I was doing what I was doing in Anambra State, and you are aware of that, I was with the people every day, they knew what we were doing but it was only after eight years when I was leaving that I invited the media to come and tour the state and see what I was able to do.
Just, yesterday, someone asked me a question that he heard I built a psychiatric hospital and school at Nawfia and I said yes. Let me tell you, one of the things we need to fix quickly in this country is the issue of psychiatric hospitals. People don’t seem to be aware that Nigeria has a huge mental health crisis. Perhaps, in a scale of ten, one Nigerian has a mental health issue. These are the issues we need to deal with.
That is frightening. What could be the cause? So many things but they all boil down to stress, poverty and depression. Nigerians are really suffering. Don’t make any mistake about that and these are issues we have to deal with. I keep saying it every day that health and education are issues that pull a people up. That is what solves the problems of the society. So, you need to deal with them simultaneously and people will see you working hard at it. You may not achieve 100 per cent result but people must see 100 per cent effort. And you are not going to achieve that by doing what we are doing now. It is not about noise making. Dealing with these issues is not about noise, when you do the right thing, people will see it, they will feel it.
But the government is striving to pull people out of poverty through various poverty alleviation schemes although some people are of the view that the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation should be scrapped. I am not talking about what should be scrapped or what should be retained. For me, whatever the ministry, even if we decide to create new ministries today, people want to see transparency. What they are doing must be transparently and clearly defined and followed through in the service of public good. People want to verifiably see what you are doing and why you are doing it, not propaganda and sophistry. They will support it if they see the sincerity of purpose. So, you can create a new ministry, just like I always say, you can borrow money. Nigeria needs to borrow but just tell us what you are doing with the money you are borrowing.
If I am president, if I have the opportunity, I will do exactly what I am telling you. It is not rocket science. All it requires is the political will to do what is right and what will promote public good. Go and ask people in Anambra State, I was meeting with traditional rulers, community leaders, students, church leaders, everybody, and I will tell them, this is what we want to do and this is why we are doing it. Simple! Inclusive governance because they are the people who elected you. I told them we are going to do this and that. I will tell them areas we will concentrate and the people will see what is being done.
So, when I say we will make more money from agriculture than oil due to the vast uncultivated land in the North, that we need it to pull people out of poverty in the North, to kick-start the industries that are dead in the North, the people will see it. And it is not going to be a political statement. These are factual statements that will be backed by action. It is not going to be achieved overnight but we need to be on the right path and continue on that trajectory. That is what other nations have done over the years and it worked for them. Ours will not be different.
You are an apostle of good governance. From what you have seen so far, do you think Nigerians share your vision? Do you believe that in Nigerians you have faithful disciples who believe in good governance?
Yes, I do. Nigerians believe in good governance. They don’t only believe in it, they clamour for it.
If they do, why then didn’t they vote for you?
But you know as well as I do that they did. The problem is that the elites are still manipulating the system to suit their whims and caprices. But it will get to a stage that their machinations will consume them. The ordinary Nigerian wants something good. The elites are still manipulating the situation and they are still in charge. How long they will continue to be in charge, I don’t know. But I do know that the votes of the people and the people themselves are bigger than them.
So, what they do is that they manipulate the system for their selfish interest and personal aggrandisement and these elites are in every sector. They are not just in politics. They are in the corporate world, church, every sector. So they manipulate the religious, tribal and ethnic sentiments to make sure that nothing good happens.
They tell you, for instance, that oh, this man is tribalistic but they are the worst tribalists. Oh, this person is a religious bigot, but they are worse. And because they know how to manipulate the system to suit their selfish agenda, they tend to have their way for now.
But it won’t be forever because the scales are beginning to fall off the eyes of the people. Is there any religion that its adherents buy bread cheaper? Is there any religion that members buy petrol at a cheaper rate? Is there any religion whose adherents are not suffering the poverty ravaging the country today? Is any tribe immune from the consequences of bad governance? No! But when elections come, they pull the issues of ethnicity and religion from their bag of tricks” and put them on the table and they will be singing about them because it is their talisman.
It is also like the nonsense which people espouse everyday of joining the ruling party so that you can become part of the centre. What type of statement is that? Must we run a Nigeria where if you are not part of the government at the centre, then you are ostracised? No. Nigeria should be a place where no-matter where you are, you should be able to live a normal life.
Do you go to America and tell someone in California that he or she must vote for a particular person so that they will be part of Washington DC? The answer is no. They just want to vote for who governs California or who governs America. https://www.vanguardngr.com/2024/01/my-biggest-2023-election-lessons-peter-obi/amp/ |