The North can transform Nigeria, says Obi

The 2023 presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Mr Peter Obi, has described Nigeria’s northern region as the country’s greatest asset, insisting it holds the potential to drive national transformation if properly harnessed.

Speaking on Sunday at a meeting of the National Political Consultative Group (North) in Abuja, Obi expressed concern over the persistent poverty in the region, which he attributed to inadequate investment in key sectors such as agriculture and education.

“The greatest asset of this country is the North. I’ve always said it. The North can change Nigeria,” Obi declared.

He emphasised that the region is endowed with vast agricultural resources capable of generating more revenue than crude oil, citing rice cultivation as a prime example. He lamented Nigeria’s relatively low rice production despite its large landmass.

“This entire country produces less than six million tonnes of rice. That’s less than 10 per cent of what Bangladesh produces,” he noted. “Bangladesh has just 148,600 square kilometres, about the size of Niger and Borno states combined.”

The former Governor of Anambra State blamed the deepening poverty in the North for the rise in insecurity, warning that hunger and desperation create fertile ground for criminal recruitment.

“When people don’t know where their next meal will come from, you can never control their actions. That’s why banditry thrives. It all rests on the government to solve it,” he added.

Obi also advocated for urgent investment in education, describing it as a sustainable tool for addressing insecurity and lifting citizens out of poverty.

“The more you pull people out of poverty, the more you solve insecurity. We need to invest in education,” he said. “Our children are not in school. I’ve sat with Almajiri children, they are some of the most brilliant minds God created. If they can’t go to school, take the school to them.”

Despite Nigeria’s numerous challenges, Obi expressed confidence that with visionary leadership and strategic investment, the country can still be reformed.

“There’s a lot of work to be done, but I believe Nigeria can be turned around,” he concluded.