'We Cannot Lose Hope or Give Up,' Peter Obi Tells Nigerians in 62nd Independence Day Message
- Peter Obi on Saturday, October 1, said that Nigerians especially the youths cannot afford to lose hope in the country
- Obi said this in his 62nd Independence Day message which was shared on his social media accounts
- According to Peter Obi, Nigerians must continue to remain hopeful and resolute amid the several challenges of insecurity, poor health and education among others bedevilling the nation
The 2023 presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi, has urged Nigerians, especially youths to remain hopeful for a brighter future.
In an Independence message shared on his personal Twitter account, the former governor of Anambra state said many Nigerians are resigned to the frustration of several years of leadership failure.
Source: Twitter
Listing some of the challenges facing the nation, Obi notes that many Nigerians have also remained in terrorist or bandits' captivity while millions are living in internally displaced person camps which have become their homes.
He said with many children going to bed hungry and other Nigerians having their homes in part of the ungoverned spaces across the country, it is difficult to fathom the concept of independence and freedom for such individuals.
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He said:
"At 62, rather than celebrate our patriotism, nationhood, unity, strength and diversity, Nigerians continue to grapple with the challenges of bad governance, replete with insecurity, a worsening economy, corruption, and various forms of abuse of public offices and all manners of impunity.
"Each new day in Nigeria, instead of heralding progress and development, our national population, already weakened by poverty and hardship, is further burdened by new forms of disruptive challenges that are inimical to societal wellbeing.
"The catalogue of our national malaise is legion, and ranges from the intermittent collapse of our national power grid; our universities remaining shut for 8 months; soaring inflation rate, extreme poverty; insecurity and visceral violence resulting in mindless bloodletting."
Corruption and impunity
Further decrying the level of corruption eating deep into the Nigerian system, Obi said the country bleeds literarily and figuratively.
According to him, these travails are neither measures of national greatness nor good leadership. Rather, they represent overarching national interest concerns that must give us pause.
He said that they are sobering realities that ought to trigger a deep rethink of our political and leadership trajectory in the months and years ahead.
His words:
"As a nation and people, we cannot lose hope or give up. Intractable as our problems are, they are not insurmountable.
"We can easily overcome them when there is purposeful and transformative leadership in place; one that will not makes excuses and will not be indifferent to the rule of law, equity and justice.
"Nigeria holds out hope of unfettered development, growth, greatness and indeed, dreams of infinite possibilities. But we must seize the moment."
Plan to rescue Nigeria
Speaking on plans to rescue Nigeria from every single challenge, Obi said every citizen has a responsibility to take up and cannot ignore the deafening clarion call for change.
He added:
"We must rescue and turn our country around. It is our challenge and our duty. We, therefore, cannot ignore the present deafening clarion call for change.
"Today, Nigeria is on the cusp of its national redefinition and rebirth. We are also on the eve of seminal general elections; a critical juncture of hope mixed with understandable trepidation.
"Yet I am convinced that our collective national fate and our faith in Almighty God, will lead us to an electoral legitimacy in 2023 that will reaffirm that sovereignty in our Republic belongs to the people; and that we can collectively usher in a new and productive Nigeria.
"Nigeria’s morning has come. This is the time for Nigerians to rescue their country from the clutches of failure, rascality and corruption that have held it down for a long. That is the true independence Nigeria needs. We need independence from economic brigandage."
Another Obidient march? Peter Obi's supporters release details of 'Mother of All' rally in Lagos
Supporters of the 2023 presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi, are set to hold a rally in Lagos state.
The team lead for the supporters said the rally will take place in three different locations across the state.
According to the lead, relevant security agencies across the country have been notified about the rally through the appropriate channel.
Ready for Obidient rally? Police officers take positions in iconic Lagos locations, Photos emerge
The officers of the Nigerian police have been stationed at strategic locations in Lagos state ahead of the scheduled October 1, rally by the Obidient movement.
One of the locations where police officers have been deployed in the state is the Lekki Tollgate following a court order on Thursday, September 29.
The court had ordered that members of the Obidient team, who are supporters of Peter Obi, Labour Party's presidential candidate can pass through the tollgate during their rally but must converged at the location.
Source: Legit.ng
