Presidential candidate of the Labour Party in the 2023 general elections, Peter Obi, has said Nigeria’s northern region holds the key to the nation’s transformation, describing it as the country’s greatest asset.
Obi made the assertion on Sunday while addressing participants at a meeting of the National Political Consultative Group (North) held in Abuja.
The former Anambra State governor lamented the high poverty rate in the North, which he said has worsened insecurity and stalled national development.
He blamed the situation on years of underinvestment and neglect.
“When you have poverty, you have humanity that you cannot control,” Obi said.
“People who don’t know where the next meal will come from are easily recruited by bandits. It all rests on government to solve it.”
According to him, the potential of the North—especially in agriculture—can surpass the nation’s revenue from oil.
“I’ve always said the North can change Nigeria,” he declared.
“The greatest asset of this country is the North. We can make more money from agriculture than we make from oil.
“This entire country produces less than six million tonnes of rice, which is less than 10 percent of what Bangladesh produces,” he said, drawing a comparison with the Asian country that occupies about the same landmass as two northern Nigerian states combined.
Obi stressed that tackling poverty and investing in education in the North is crucial to reducing insecurity and unlocking Nigeria’s economic potential.
“The more you pull people out of poverty, the more you solve insecurity. We need to invest in education,” he said.
“We can’t talk about free universal basic education when our children are not in school.”
He recounted his interactions with Almajiri children across northern states and described them as highly intelligent.
“If they can’t go to school, take the school to them,” he said.
Obi reiterated his belief in the possibility of a reformed and united Nigeria, anchored on inclusivity, education, and economic empowerment.
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