Toba Owojaiye reporting
Over 100,000 listeners across various platforms such as Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube tuned in to hear Peter Obi speak. Even the President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu listened on the Twitter event, yesterday July 29th, 2023.
The meeting which saw the convergence of Nigerians at home and in diaspora, received global recognition as the Peter Obi spoke on some strategic issues concerning Nigerians and Nigeria.
Here are some excerpts from Obi in the meeting????:
“You cannot float the Naira when you have not moved the country’s economy from consumption to production. You cannot float what you don’t have.” —Peter Obi
“If all of us (politicians) decide to end corruption today, we can, starting from the top (Federal Government). We will ensure all revenues are accounted for and well utilized. We must deal decisively with the high cost of governance in Nigeria”. —Peter Obi
“We have to return Nigerian league to how it used to be. IICC shooting stars, Mighty Jet, Rangers and BBC Lions have more fans than Man U, Chelsea and Arsenal in Nigeria in the 70s. So what happened now. This is what unites us, we must work on it.”
“No body, no body, I repeat no body with any QUESTIONABLE certificate will work with me.”
“I only read the CV of my Chief of Staff, and I appointed her. I never knew her before I made that appointment.”
“If I am the President, the North will celebrate me because I know the problems of the North;* *likewise the West because I know the problems there.”
“If the colonial masters can build rails from the North down to Lagos for food exports in the 60s, why can’t we do better now?”
“The more educated the citizens of a country are, the more developed that country will be.”
“Politicians weaponize ethnicity and religion for elections when they are incompetent.”
“Show me where Christians buy bread cheaper, Muslims will go there and buy.”
“Bad governance knows no religion or ethnicity.”
“You can’t tell people to endure hardship and be living a rockstar life and buying foreign cars at exorbitant prices.”
“In one month I would have set up a powerful economic team full of competent Nigerians to tackle the economic woes.”
“I’m not a saint & I’m equally not a thief, most people would not see the amount of money I saw as Governor & leave it. I saved, invested and utilized State funds properly. Public money should be used for public good not for personal gains.”
“The young people have been the greatest loser in this enterprise called today’s Nigeria. I bought my first, second, and third cars as a university student.”
“There should be a retirement age for political office holders. The young people need to come onboard.”
“We must first of all remove the criminal components in fuel subsidy removal ; Then utilize the money in reviving our infrastructure, educational sector etc. the whole process must be TRANSPARENT and people MUST See and Feel the IMPACT.”
“Incompetency on the side of politicians is the reason they use tribal cards to divide Nigerians during elections.”
“The number one problem we have in Nigeria is corruption. It kills entrepreneurship, professionalism, and hard work. It allows people to have wealth without enterprise, and it destroys the entire system.”
“One of the biggest contributor to the United States GDP is an intangible asset called Rule of Law.”
“The number one problem we have in Nigeria is corruption. It kills entrepreneurship, professionalism and hard work. It allows people to have wealth without enterprise and it destroys the entire system.”
“You don’t know a man until you give him money and power. I’m praying for the LP National Assembly Representatives.”
“I don’t have dual citizenship or residency even though I have all that it takes to own one because I am proud of my NIGERIAN PASSPORT. This passport will be great, but it requires all to do the right thing.”
“Nigeria is strategically located at the centre of Africa and should be the shipping and air travel hub for the continent.”
“I have condemned the Sit-At-Home in the East and IPOB has also condemned it so those enforcing it are criminäls and should be dealt with as such.”
“Lagos govt should come out and apologize, make amends concerning the EndSars so that there will be closure, there’s nothing to be ashamed of if we make mistakes we should make amends because we all make mistakes, Govt makes mistakes, I don’t know it all. Where I make mistakes I say I am sorry, those who have worked with me will testify of this. So that there’ll be peace.”
“I was given indefinite leave to remain in the UK. I rejected it. I dumped it and travelled with my Nigerian passport everywhere. As governor, I had a diplomatic passport, but I never used it. I travelled with my Nigerian passport everywhere.”
“If you want to earn respect, put your house in order. Nobody respects you when you go around as a beggar. No one will take you seriously when your economy is in shambles.”
“Ordinary Nigerians have nothing to do with oil, people who steal oil are people who have something to do with the government.”
“No matter what happens, we will remain peaceful because we have no other country.”
“I know what to do to make sure that every elected person from the Labour party does the right thing. This is why I said you people should join the Labour party, let us remind them why they were voted in the first place.”
“The elites want Nigerians divided because it suits them the more divided we are the better for them.”
“We must remain calm we’re not going to pull Nigeria down no matter what happens. We have no other country to go to. We must build it.”
“Always remain a reference and exemplary pay back hatred with love.”
“You cannot Sneak in from the Window and Start Cleaning the House.”
“Don’t give up, remain resolute, we are one Nigeria we will definitely win.”
“If you arrested a ship that has operated secretly for 12 years with 800,000 barrels of crude oil under my watch, it shouldn’t be destroyed.
It will be arrested and made to account for its operations in the past 12 years.”
“Let’s try and love one another. If they give you hatred, give them love; if they scandalize your name, give them good name, always conduct your self well to be the reference point” Peter Obi’s closing remark.
The session with Peter Obi was explosive and inspiring, showcasing his passion and dedication to creating a new Nigeria. This was seen from the reactions of those who attended the virtual meeting.
Peter Obi arguably carries a vibe that relates with most urban elites and social media users in Nigeria.