Mr Peter Obi, the presidential candidate of the Nigerian Democratic Congress (NDC) in the 2027 general elections, has urged anyone aspiring to become President of Nigeria in 2027 to travel around the country to see the conditions of the people they intend to govern.
Obi stated this in Nsukka on Saturday when he stopped over in Opi to pay homage to His Royal Majesty, Eze Williams Ezugwu, the Eze-Ogbozarra III and Igwe of Ibagwa Opi Autonomous Community in the Ogbozarra Opi Ancient Kingdom, Nsukka Local Government Area of Enugu State.
He said his frequent travels across the country provided him with the opportunity to interact with the people and assess the condition of facilities, including schools and healthcare centres, as well as the security situation in different areas.
“I left Port Harcourt this morning and went to Kogi State, and now I am in Opi, Nsukka. It provides me with the opportunity to see the people, the condition of facilities, as well as the security situation in the area.
“I tell anybody who wants to be President of this country to always move around and see the condition of the people so that they will know their problems and know how to solve them if elected. It is not proper to sit in Abuja without knowing the problems of Nigerians whose votes you want in the 2027 general elections,” he said.
The former Anambra State Governor said he had informed Ezugwu earlier on Saturday morning that he would stop over in Opi while returning from Kogi State to pay homage to him at his palace.
“If I am elected as President of this country in 2027, the same way I am travelling now will be the same way I will be moving from one state to another to ensure that every state has the required dividends of democracy.
“I promise everybody that Nigeria will work again if I am elected because we have enough resources in this country. Our problems are corruption and mismanagement,” he said.
Obi commended the monarch for the warm reception accorded to him despite the short notice, as well as the crowd mobilised to welcome him. “This is just a stopover. I will prepare to visit Opi, where we will relax and talk because I know Opi people believe that it is possible for Nigeria to work again,” he said.
Welcoming Obi to his palace, Ezugwu expressed appreciation to the NDC presidential candidate for honouring him by stopping over to see him, saying the gesture demonstrated Obi’s enormous respect for the traditional institution.
He prayed that God would always guide and protect the presidential candidate in his going out and coming in, as well as grant him his ambition in 2027 so that he could rebuild the nation.
Ezugwu commended Obi’s transparency and accountability, which, he said, had made it possible for him to govern Anambra State for eight years without being indicted for stealing from the state treasury.
“It is not only that Obi governed Anambra for eight years; he has held many strategic positions in banking and other financial institutions, but nobody has accused him of any embezzlement. Instead, there have been commendations everywhere,” he said.
He thanked his cabinet members, residents of the Opi community, and guests who came from far and near to join him in welcoming the NDC presidential candidate despite the short notice.
NewsBits reports that Mr Harrison Ogara, representing Igboeze South Constituency in the Enugu State House of Assembly and also the NDC candidate for the constituency in the 2027 general elections, was among the dignitaries present.
