Politics

2023 Presidency: Obi’s Full Speech After Clinching LP’s Ticket

Published

4 years ago

May 30, 2022

Editor

Anambra State Governor, Peter Obi, has charged Nigerians to take back their country in 2023.

Obi made the call on Monday in his acceptance speech after emerging as Labour Party (LP) presidential candidate.

The former bank chief lamented Nigeria, Africa’s biggest nation, has become a laughing stock due to bad leadership.

The LP standard bearer, who dumped the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) last week, said office holders and hopefuls who should take care of people’s welfare were spending dollars on delegates.

Full speech:

Let Us Return Nigeria to Their Rightful Owners

“I thank Nigerians; especially members of the Labour Party who have gathered here since yesterday to partake in the primaries to choose the person that will fly the Labour flag in the forthcoming National election to choose the President of Nigeria.

History beckons. Nigerians remain hopeful for a national rebirth, which implies returning Nigeria to Nigerians – farmers, teachers and students, lecturers, artisans, workers, pensioners and over a hundred million poor Nigerians who are not sure where their next meal will come from.

Therefore, what you are doing today is a patriotic duty towards seeking the desired political emancipation of our dear country, which stands wounded by many years of cumulative leadership failure.

Painfully, our current dysfunctional system rewards unearned income and conspicuous consumption; allows university lecturers to remain on strike for months; keeps our youths at home; and owes pensioners, who gave their patriotic sweat and their youthful energy to serve this country.

The despicable contrast is that those responsible for the mess – those elected to take care of them – have abandoned the national currency and are living in opulence and like kings, spend dollars to buy delegates as well as houses all over the world. Meanwhile, they owe most workers, lecturers and retirees. Yes, our country stands hijacked by forces of retrogression. We are almost zero in all indices of development.

As a result, our future, especially those of the youth and generations unborn, is in ruins. We have become a laughing stock among other nations, including African countries where we were once revered. As a party that represents the workers and masses of this great nation, we are people organised and working for our economic rebirth.

As I am nominated today, I humbly proclaim that the journey towards the emancipation of the country has begun. I note with humility that the journey is going to be a collective one that will certainly require the cooperation of critical stakeholders in our country, especially the youth, whose future has been thoroughly degraded.

I therefore thank all of you and call for your sustained support towards returning Nigeria to Nigerians from forces of bad leadership and retrogression. Such a noble task brooks no conscientious objectors. I hardly use war metaphors for political analysis due to my belief that politics is not adversarial and not war.

However, permit me a little indulgence here, to relate what we are embarking on to the ancient battle of Thermopylae, where the Greek forces, conscious of fighting for the life of Greece, held on against great odds in the defence of their country.

In the battle to retake Nigerian, the odds are great and seemingly insurmountable, but with our commitment, patriotism and understanding that we are doing, what we are supposed to do for our country, lest she shall die, we shall move on discontent with what is and focused on enthroning what ought to be. In doing this, our battle cry shall remain: get your PVC and become part of this great liberation!

Our governance mission will be twin-tracked. Secure Nigeria in every ramification: national security, human security, food security and tackling insecurity created by unemployment. We will also seek to unite our nation by pulling our people out of poverty, and creating a new sense of nationalism and patriotism.

Nigeria shall rise again: and her people will be proud to claim ownership of her patrimony. Doing so is in our collective national interest. As I earnestly thank Nigerians for their faith in me. In the days ahead I will publish our governance manifesto, which will spell out our top governance priorities. I assure you that no region; state, local government or communities will be left behind.

I also assure you all that the struggle continues and that victory is certainly in sight towards the guarantee of a meaningful future for our youths and making this country a respected and viable member of a 21st century world that places high value on production over consumption. God bless you all and God bless Nigeria.”

Politics

2027: Nobody Wants Fubara – Wike

Published

26 minutes ago

May 6, 2026

Editor

The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has dismissed claims that there is widespread support for Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara to return in 2027.

Speaking during his monthly media parley on Wednesday in Abuja, Wike suggested that Fubara can’t claim to enjoy unanimous backing from the public.

He explained that the political crisis in Rivers State had earlier been addressed through the intervention of President Bola Tinubu, particularly during impeachment proceedings initiated against Fubara.

According to Wike, the President advised all parties to embrace peace, leading to the withdrawal of the impeachment move by the State House of Assembly after agreements were reached.

Wike, however, alleged that the governor failed to fully adhere to the terms agreed during the arbitration process.

Reacting to claims that the people were urging Fubara to seek re-election in 2027, Wike rejected the assertion, insisting that such narratives were misleading.

Wike maintained that appearing before the President for arbitration required respect for the outcome, noting that all parties were expected to uphold their commitments.

He said: “The President, intervened in the impeachment proceeding. I said withdraw, let their be peace. And the governor said, look, I’m ready for peace. Look, I’m no longer interested for this. I will not do this. The Assembly went and withdrew the impeachment.

“Having withdrawn the impeachment, he is now too smart on what you agreed before the President. It’s like when you go on arbitration.”

Wike continued, “This one is what I don’t like. Nobody wants anybody. Please, don’t tell me that. Excuse me.

You can go and tell that to the market people or children. Two years that people say he should come out. Who told you that?

“Which politician will say that I was sleeping they came and woke me? Even if people people come to wake you, can’t you say, no, I won’t do it. I’m not prepared for it.

“That you appeared before a President of the country on arbitration, the two parties on arbitration, and these people respected Mr. President, and have done their own part.”

Politics

2027: Wike Opens Up On Preferred Rivers Guber Candidate

Published

33 minutes ago

May 6, 2026

Editor

The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, on Wednesday said he hasn’t endorsed any candidate for the Rivers state gubernatorial election in 2027.

Wike stated this on Wednesday during his monthly media parley in Abuja.

Wike said that the endorsement will come only after a meeting by the joint coalition in the state.

He said: “I haven’t endorsed anybody. And I can’t endorse anybody until the joint coalition meets.”

DAILY POST reports that questions have been raised concerning the fate of current governor of Rivers State, Siminalayi Fubara, in 2027.

The FCT Minister was reported to have endorsed former State Commissioner for Works, Alabo Dakorinama George Kelly, as his preferred candidate for the Rivers State governorship election.

Sources told DAILY POST that Wike settled for George after a closed-door meeting with key political stakeholders in Port Harcourt on Monday.

Politics

Open Bank Account In PDP Name, See What Will Happen – Wike Dares Turaki Faction

Published

37 minutes ago

May 6, 2026

Editor

Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Nyesom Wike, on Wednesday challenged the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, faction led by Tanimu Turaki to open an official party bank account and secretariat if they truly believe they control the opposition party’s structure.

Speaking with journalists on Wednesday in Abuja, Wike accused some party leaders of misleading Nigerians and violating court judgments in the lingering leadership crisis rocking the PDP.

The former Rivers State governor insisted that the faction opposing the party’s recognised leadership lacked legal standing and could not lawfully operate the affairs of the party.

“You cannot continue to deceive Nigerians. If they are sure they are the authentic leadership of the PDP, let them open an official PDP account and tell party members to pay nomination fees into it,” Wike said.

He specifically challenged Taminu Turaki, SAN, and other leaders of the rival camp to test their claims by opening a bank account in the name of the PDP.

“Let Turaki, as a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, open an account for the PDP. Let them announce it publicly for members who want to contest elections. That day, you will see what will happen,” he stated.

Wike argued that no bank would recognise such an account because the faction allegedly lacks the legally recognised party structure and documentation required to operate.

“That bank will be in trouble because to open such an account, you must provide the party’s authentic documents and recognised leadership. Who has those documents?” he queried.

The FCT minister also warned against attempts to establish what he described as illegal party offices, vowing that any action capable of causing a breakdown of law and order in Abuja would not be tolerated.

“If anybody goes ahead to open an illegal office in the name of the PDP in Abuja, I will seal it. I will not allow any breach of peace because my duty is to maintain law and order in the Federal Capital Territory,” he said.

Wike maintained that court judgments had already settled the dispute over the PDP leadership and convention issues, accusing some actors of twisting judicial pronouncements for political convenience.

“People should stop deceiving Nigerians. The judgments are clear. You cannot ignore court decisions and begin to create parallel structures,” he added.

The minister further dismissed claims that the Supreme Court ruling favoured the rival faction, insisting that the legal processes and decisions available supported his position and that of the recognised party leadership.

According to him, attempts to reinterpret the judgments outside the established legal context were aimed at confusing party members and the public.

Wike said he remained a committed member of the PDP and was only defending what he described as constitutional order and due process within the party.

PDP has remained embroiled in internal leadership disputes following disagreements over the party’s convention, caretaker arrangements and recognition of key national officers ahead of the 2027 general elections.