Resolve Crisis In LP First Before Aspiring To Be President – Akpabio Tells Peter Obi

The President of the Nigerian Senate, Godswill Akpabio, has advised former Governor of Anambra State, Peter Obi, to resolve the lingering crisis within his party, the Labour Party (LP) before aspiring to lead the country.

Akpabio also cautioned the 2023 presidential candidate of the LP, advising him to refrain from making divisive remarks that may lead to confusion within the nation.

Earlier, while addressing a memorial lecture in honor of Clark, Obi expressed his concerns about the state of the country, asserting that ‘We are not a democratic nation. We must be honest with ourselves. The efforts of our past heroes have been in vain.’

However, during a valedictory session at the Senate chamber on Thursday, held in tribute to the late elder statesman, Akpabio dismissed Obi’s claims, attributing the unity of Nigeria during challenging times to the resilience of voices like Clark’s.

“I beg to disagree, let Peter Obi show leadership first by resolving the crisis in the Labour Party,” Akpabio said.

“If he is unable to resolve that crisis, is it the crisis of Boko Haram he can resolve?”

The President of the Senate criticized social media commentators, asserting that some disseminate misinformation without a proper understanding of the nation’s history.

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He remarked that those who aspire to presidential candidacy are ‘creating confusion with their words.’

Senator Akpabio urged them to first address the issues within their own party before discussing the broader context of Nigeria, suggesting that they should resolve their internal party matters before engaging in national discourse, a sentiment he attributed to Pa Edwin Clark.

In response, Obi addressed Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu and other critics who accused him of undermining Nigeria, asserting that he is merely stating the truth regarding the country’s circumstances.

During a recent event at Johns Hopkins University in the United States, Obi illustrated how Nigeria’s economy has deteriorated over the past 25 years, resulting in a significant rise in poverty levels.

He compared Nigeria’s poverty rate to that of China, Indonesia, and Vietnam combined, claiming that Nigeria has a higher number of impoverished individuals than these three nations together.

He stressed that a nation’s destiny is closely linked to the caliber of its leadership, expressing concern over Nigeria’s history of inadequate leadership.

However, Governor Sanwo-Olu condemned Obi’s remarks about the country, labeling them as disparaging and unflattering.

He expressed his concern regarding Obi’s conduct, indicating that his comments about Nigeria on an international platform do not portray the country positively.

“He made unflattering remarks not just about the incumbent Nigerian government but also about Nigeria. I also find Mr Obi’s pattern of behaviour disturbing. When prominent Nigerians go overseas, they ought to project Nigeria positively.

“They do not have to do that for the government. But we all owe a duty to market Nigeria on the global stage rather than demarket her. That is what true patriotism is about,” Sanwo-Olu had said in a statement.

But speaking on Wednesday while making a speech at Pa Edwin Clark’s memorial lecture in Abuja, Obi insisted that he did not in any way demarket Nigeria but only stated facts.

He wondered if the World Bank and UNICEF, who recently released some negative facts about poverty in Nigeria, were also doing it to demarket Nigeria.

Obi said, “I spoke a few days ago and people said I am demarketing Nigeria. When is truth being demarketing? The World Bank has just shown that 75% of Nigerians in rural areas are poor. Is the World Bank marketing Nigeria?

“UNICEF two days ago said that Nigeria has over two million malnourished children, the second highest in the world. Are they demarketing Nigeria? Let’s face the reality.”