By Lukman Olabiyi
Presidential candidate of Labour Party, Peter Obi, yesterday, met with the Aare Onakakanfo of Yorubaland, Iba Gani Adams and others in Lagos, to solicit support.
At the meetingm held at the Omole Phase 2 Palace of the Aare Onakakanfo, Obi presented the blueprint of his party saying he was committed to the restructuring of the country.
He said he had embraced restructuring as a component of his administration if he won the February 25 poll. He also enumerated his plans for the economy, tourism, security, agriculture and unity of Nigeria, saying he had the best plan to salvage Nigeria from its socio-political quagmire.
Obi spoke about the economic potential in the North and South of Nigeria, saying the visit was part of ongoing consultations of his presidential campaign train.
He said prominent leaders like former president, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, Afenifere leader, Pa Ayo Adebanjo and Chief Edwin Clark would not be supporting his ambition if it was all about money.
“There are others who can give billions to the elders and leaders of our country, but I have no money to give them. I have a strong desire to change the country and make Nigeria work for everybody. We have a project of a Nigeria where everybody is involved in the prospect of a great Nigeria. I said here that Nigeria should hold me responsible for Nigeria’s turnaround. We will do things differently as president of this great nation.”
Obi said the visit was a measure of respect for the stool and need to seek public understanding of how best to solve Nigeria’s problems with an enduring blueprint. He also gave insights into the prospects of how Philippines was liberated and how Vietnam, Indian and China with their huge population had succeeded in ensuring food and human security, saying the same could be achieved in Nigeria with a leader with the people’s interest at heart.
“I will make Sambisa Forest an agriculture village and also explore the tourism sector and address the spate of insecurity across the country,” he said.
Adams thanked Obi for the visit and lauded him for the vision and commitment to the restructuring of the country. He, however said, he would remain neutral based on the demands of the office he holds.
“You gave us a short notice on your visit, I appreciate the fact that you keep to time. It’s a show of your passion and dedication. Your respect for the stool of the Aare Onakakanfo of Yorubaland is a reflection of your understanding of Nigeria’s problems. Anybody that wants to be Nigerian president should restructure the country into federating units where each region will develop at their own pace.”
Our founding fathers agreed on an enduring template of federalism based on the independent constitution of 1960, but the military came and thwarted our polity by changing federalism to unitary system, after a year there was a civil war in 1967 and shortly thereafter, our living together was based on mutual suspicion. With all your beautiful ideas, if Nigeria is not restructured to regionalism,it will be very difficult to achieve,” he said.
Adams urged the Igbo not to exercise any fear, insisting that all Nigerians were in the best position to vote for any candidate of their choice.
Afenifere chieftains, Sola Ebiseni,Chief Gboyega Adejumo, and Chief Segun Sanni, however, urged the Aare Onakakanfo to support Obi’s ambition for a better Nigeria.