Presidential Candidate of the Labour Party (LP), Mr Peter Obi, has said he would dialogue with the members of the proscribed Indigenous Peoples of Biafra (IPOB) and other agitators to restore peace in the country if elected president come February 25, 2023.

Obi, a former governor of Anambra State stated this while responding to questions on insecurity in the country at the corporate headquarters of the Media Trust Group (MTG), owners of Daily Trust titles and Trust TV in Abuja. IPOB is a separatist organisation in Nigeria, which claims that its main aim is to restore an independent state of Biafra in the old Eastern Region of the country, comprising mainly today’s South-East and South-South regions.

The group was founded in 2012 by Nnamdi Kanu, a British-Nigerian known for his advocacy of the contemporary Biafran independence movement.

It was designated a terrorist organisation in 2017 under the Nigerian Terrorism Act and subsequently, Kanu was arrested and taken to court over terrorism-related offences.

The group had been accused of killing security operatives, politicians, traditional rulers and ordinary citizens. Its members were also fingered in the destruction of symbols of authority like police stations and INEC offices, among others.

In other parts of the country, the Boko Haram/ISWAP fighters have been raging war against the Nigerian state for over 13 years while activities of militants occasioned by oil theft have denied Nigeria the opportunity to benefit from its oil wealth. In the North West, bandits have been terrorising the people of the geopolitical zone.

‘My approach will be different’
While answering questions after his visit to Media Trust, Obi said, “I have said it times without number, Nigeria does not have more agitation than Brazil, if you want I will show you countries that have had agitations in the past, whether it is Brazil, Mexico, whether it is this.

“In our South East, it is a simple thing, I will dialogue, I will discuss, it is a democracy, and in a democracy, you govern by consensus. If anybody says he is not happy, you call him and you sit him down and discuss with him.

“People agitate in my house, my wife, my children. If you say to me you have lived with your wife all through and you people have never quarrelled, then you are not married. You disagree and settle it – that is agitation.”

If elected, Obi said he would govern by consensus and listen to all for smooth administration of the country.

“I will govern by listening to the people. I will visit every state in Nigeria. We have a huge land in the North that if properly invested and cultivated, will change Nigeria. The more I pull people out of poverty, the more I reduce agitation, the more I reduce criminality. What you are seeing in Nigeria today is a cumulative effect of leadership failure over the years and all I want to do is to be seen to be that man who changed this country called Nigeria,” he said.

Asked whether he shares the federal government’s position in designating IPOB as a terrorist organisation, he said, “I don’t want to go into that place. I have told you, I will dialogue with anybody, anything they like let them call you, I will meet and we discuss.

“I don’t like the way people were treated during the EndSARS, I will apologise. We must have a country of healing and love; that is what leadership in a democracy is.

“I am going to meet people in the North, I am going to meet people everywhere and say come, let’s be a family. I want Nigerians to be proud that they are Nigerians. What we have now is we have a country called Nigeria but we don’t have Nigerians. I want to bring back Nigerians.”

‘I’m not Igbo candidate’
While urging Nigerians to vote for him, he said he is not an Igbo candidate but the most qualified candidate among the 18 flagbearers.

“I am contesting as a Nigerian, I don’t want people to vote for me because I am an Igbo man or because I am from South East because people don’t buy bread cheaper because they are from that zone.

“I don’t want anybody to vote for me because I am a Christian; I don’t want them to vote because it is my turn, it is not inheritance. It is the turn of Nigerians to take back their country. I want them to vote for me because of character and competence, I have the capacity, I have the commitment, I am qualified,” he said.

Obinoscopy:
https://dailytrust.com/exclusive-ill-dialogue-with-ipob-other-agitators-peter-obi

lhordspy:
He said he doesnt want people to vote for him because he is Christian?

Yet he has been going from churches to churches instigating the christians against the muslim, so is his zombidients supporters. To the extent that a religious body like CAN is now taking every little opportunity it has to attack muslim verbally during any interview.

Vinesee:
Peter Obi, if Nigerians miss this man, our future will remain bleak

lhordspy:
Lols.

How many muslim VP are in the South-east?.

When he was governor of Anambra state, was his vice a muslim man?

kk2027:

His VP is muslim, PO is running a balanced ticket just like Atiku is doing. No candidate is running a same faith ticket except Tinubu

Same Tinubu even called holy communion(which is the body of Christ) poisoned and eaten by church rat.

lhordspy:


Lols.

How many muslim VP are in the South-east?.

When he was governor of Anambra state, was his vice a muslim man?

kk2027:


Is that why Tinubu feels he can call the body of Christ poison?

lhordspy:


Lol. It is not tinubu's fault your level of comprehension and ability to assimilate things are very low. Read wide or meet people, the learned who understand what he was driving at perfectly. Meet them and let them explain what he meant to you.

If you get it eventually, you will be ashame of your ignorance.

lhordspy:
Lols.

How many muslim VP are in the South-east?.

When he was governor of Anambra state, was his vice a muslim man?

kk2027:


Nothing funny about disrespecting d body of Christ

lhordspy:


Ok. I am done with you now. Since you are programmed to be repeating same thing.

socialmediaman:


Nobody cares if Borno or Sokoto governors and their deputies are muslims, these states are predominantly muslim.

But everyone cares if you're contesting for the presidency. Tinubu's muslim muslim ticket is callous and Dead on Arrival

socialmediaman:


Nobody cares if Borno or Sokoto governors and their deputies are muslims, these states are predominantly muslim.

But everyone cares if you're contesting for the presidency. Tinubu's muslim muslim ticket is callous and Dead on Arrival

limeta:
why lie

lhordspy:


Where is the Lie?

lhordspy:
He said he doesnt want people to vote for him because he is Christian?

Yet he has been going from churches to churches instigating the christians against the muslim, so is his zombidients supporters. To the extent that a religious body like CAN is now taking every little opportunity it has to attack muslim verbally during any interview.

You see my friends, i wont be voting this man not because i dont like him.but because he is a pretentious catalyst, a divider. A green snake in the green grass. A man should stand by his actions and Tactics. But Obi will rather be pretending up and down as a unifier, while he go about dividing the nation.

This may sounds tribalistic but it is not. I think there is a problem with all south-easterners. They all have this inbuilt hate and envy instigating character. Anywhere or every where they find themselves, hate is always the order of things there.

I mean, we have had hundreds of election across Nigeria since the beginning of democracy, we have never encounter any politics of hate and calmunies like this before. Not till the Igbos decided to get involve.

Those set of hatred filled souls and agent will never rule this country for the betterment of Nigeria.