Labour Party Presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has vowed that his administration will not pursue persecution of previous governments if elected into office in the 2023 general election.
Obi argued that witch-hunting his predecessors in the name of fighting corruption would only amount to a waste of time as there are other means by which the government can plug leakages in the system.
He disclosed this in an interview with newsmen shortly after unveiling an educationist, Dr. Yusuf Datti Baba-Ahmed, as his running mate on Friday, July 8, 2022.
The former Anambra state governor said, “As for probing the past government, let me tell you: you see me argue that you can’t close your shop and be chasing thieves, those who only look at yesterday and today will miss tomorrow. God did not give us eyes at the back, mine is to look forward.
“If you come into the government today and decide to stop the leakage first, you will get more. I am not going to be part of any form of victimization or witch-hunt, it won’t happen. Nigerians must live within law and order.
“But I can tell you right away. If you, the principal person, the local government chairman, the governor, or the President are not stealing, your family is not, and those around you are not, you will reduce it by 70 percent,” he added.
While announcing Baba-Ahmed as his running mate, Obi said the Baze University founder would bring his achievements in private and public sectors to bear in the quest to rescue the country from the grasp of primitive ethnic politics.
He added that the LP would anchor its manifesto in the coming days on the 17 goals of Sustainable Development Goals.
Obi said, “I have the honour to present to you somebody I can call a friend, a younger brother, and God willing the next Vice President of Nigeria in the name of Senator Yusuf Baba-Ahmed.
“We made this choice and Datti and I sat down and discussed it. I said to him, ‘What we are doing is not just the two of us.’ We are bringing all Nigerians into this big tent where everybody will be involved because we want to end the primitive politics of ethnicity, and religion. What we want now is to replace that with competence.”
Senator Baba-Ahmed during his acceptance speech said Nigeria was in a great deal of trouble and that he couldn’t turn down the opportunity to be part of the movement to salvage the country.
He said, “I remain forever humbled and appreciative of this consideration. My task is simple and it is to accept this nomination and this candidacy. Just before I do that, I should normally give a justification as the fundamental reason for being on this ticket is to rescue Nigeria. It goes logically and without saying that you can only rescue that which is in trouble. Nigeria is in a great deal of trouble. I cannot afford not to be part of the movement to rescue Nigeria.
In his own speech, Labour Party National Chairman, Julius Abure, noted that the party was out to Nigerians and that it could achieve great feats, adding that the unveiling even has sent a clear message.
