Headline

Peter Obi on CNN, Speaks on Solving Nigeria’s Economic, Security Challenges

Published

3 years ago

September 17, 2022

Eric

By Eric Elezuo

The candidate of the Labour Party, Mr. Peter Obi, was on Friday hosted by CNN’s Zain Asher, during a programme, Zain Exchange, where he spoke on his desire to tackle headlong the economic and security challenges of Nigeria if elected the president in 2023.

Zane Asher: Mr. Obi thank you so much for being with us. You’re certainly the most popular presidential candidate among young people in Nigeria, there’s so much momentum behind you. But here’s the problem. Nigerians are used to being disappointed by their leaders, and what do you think about some of the problems that are facing the country right now, they are systemic. I’m talking about the corruption, I’m talking about oil theft, I’m talking about insecurity, I’m talking about the fiscal hole that Nigeria is in right now. Can all of that really be solved by one person?

Peter Obi: Well, if you have a leader that is competent, has the capacity and commitment to start dealing with these challenges, you’re not going to solve it overnight, but there will be a clear, visible, measurable attempt to deal with these. And there is nothing that is not solve-able. Some issues just have to be dealt with decisively. But you need to have a capable leader such that when you look at his past records in office, you can say YES – He is capable.

Zane Asher: If you do, indeed, become Nigeria’s next president, Nigeria you know, is broke. It’s barely able to service its debts. It spends so much more that it earns. What are your plans? From a concrete perspective, what are your plans to take Nigeria’s economy off of life support?

Peter Obi: Well, a variety of things. One, is that we have to deal decisively with the issue of insecurity. It’s impacting negatively on our economy. We have to deal with it head on. We have to get our finances right — and start ensuring that the vast lands of the north are invested in and cultivated. We have to start pulling people out of poverty as quickly as possible. We have to immediately reduce aggressively, the cost of governance, and the issue of corruption.

Zane Asher: Anyone who knows anything about Nigeria knows that it has this embarrassing reputation of importing refined fuel, despite the fact that it’s Africa’s largest oil producer. What is your plan for transforming Nigeria’s economy from a consumption economy to a production economy?

Peter Obi: Let me tell you it’s not the issue of refineries not working — there’s no reason why we should not encourage the private sector to operate refineries. It can be done as quickly as possible. We can today, decide to remove the oil subsidies, and use the resources to invest in and support the principal areas of production; from critical infrastructure to education, to supporting investment in refinery, which will be, done in the shortest amount of time.

Zane Asher: A lot of Nigerian presidents have come in and talked about revitalizing the manufacturing sector, investing in refineries, but change, as you know, has been very, very slow. Why is it going to be different with you and what would you say were the biggest hurdles in making sure that all of the things that you just listed come to pass?

Peter Obi: Well, what people need to do is to look at what I promised as the state governor. When I said was going to turn around education, health, pull people out of poverty, bring sanity and civility in governance — did that happen or not?
When I said we were going to save money, did we do that? Yes, we did.

Zane Asher: I want to talk about one of the major issues that Nigeria is dealing with, grappling with right now. That’s violence and insecurity. You can barely travel from one part of Nigeria to another without fearing for your life. I’m talking about kidnapping. I’m talking about banditry. I’m talking about terrorism, I’m talking about Boko Haram. What is your plan for that?

Peter Obi: Initially, what we first have to deal with is the issue of security. Unless you have security, the farmers can’t — you can’t have investment. Nobody will ever want to put or invest money in an insecure country. So we will deal this issue of insecurity decisively. We will start by reorganizing our security architecture. We will then bring in more hands into the security system, and motivate them properly, so that we can defeat the issue of insecurity . It’s the most important thing that Nigeria needs today.

Zane Asher: You and I are both Nigerians, were are both from southeastern Nigeria. It’s a very hard country to hold together. You have too manage about 200 million people, with so many different tribes, so many different ideas. When you think about the fact that you are from the southeast, how easy is it going to be to rally Nigerians from the north behind you? That’s got to be on your mind?

Peter Obi: That was the situation obtainable in the past. We used to elect leaders based on ethnicity, religion, strong connection etc, and that has brought us to the bad situation we are in today. “Our structure”, the structure of criminality, is what we want to dismantle now. We want to ensure that the next election is based on character, capacity, competence, commitment to do the right thing. Nigeria not just in a fiscal mess, it is at the last stage to collapse. The people in the north don’t have a secure place, they don’t have good roads. They don’t buy bread cheaper than those in the South. They people in the south are facing the same issues. All what you hear about ethnicity, religion, connection, is an elite conspiracy to keep Nigeria undeveloped. But now we’ve reached the edge.

Zane Asher: Thank you for coming on our program.

Peter Obi: Thank you for inviting me.

Headline

2027: Obi Warns Against Rigging, Urges Voters to Be Vigilant

Published

5 days ago

February 17, 2026

Eric

A former Governor of Anambra State, Peter Obi, has issued a stern warning to election officials and stakeholders, urging Nigerians to ensure that every vote counts in the 2027 general election.

Obi stressed that anyone who attempts to manipulate or obstruct the counting of votes will be held accountable for undermining the country’s democracy.

“Unlike in the past, in 2027 our votes MUST count, and all those who are there not to count the votes will be counted among those destroying Nigeria,” he wrote on X on Monday, February 16, 2026.

Obi, who has declared that he will contest the 2027 presidential election, advised voters to stay at polling units after casting their ballots to observe the counting and transmission of results, emphasising that preventing the proper tallying of votes would attract legal consequences.

The former Labour Party presidential candidate said: “I encourage everyone to remain at the polling units after voting to count and witness the counting and transmission of results. Those who refuse to allow the votes count will be made to count the full weight of the law against rigging.

“Let me reiterate: if you do not count our votes, we will count you among those who destroy our democracy, thereby destroying our future, and you must answer to the law.”

Headline

APC National Secretary Basiru Demands Wike’s Resignation As FCT Minister

Published

5 days ago

February 17, 2026

Eric

The National Secretary of All Progressives Congress (APC), Senator Ajibola Basiru, has called on the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, to resign from President Bola Tinubu’s cabinet, accusing him of undue interference in the ruling party’s internal affairs.

Basiru’s demand followed Wike’s warning earlier on Monday, in which the former Rivers State governor cautioned the APC scribe to “leave Rivers State alone” and refrain from meddling in its politics. Wike, while addressing supporters during a thank-you visit to Oyigbo Local Government Area of Rivers State, described Rivers as a “no-go area,” warning that those who interfere “may burn their hands.”

But, responding to the FCT Minister’s warning in a statement issued from Osogbo, Osun State, Senator Basiru fired back, describing Wike’s remarks as a “tirade” and “uncouth.”

“My attention has been drawn to the tirade of the Minister of the FCT against my person and my office as National Secretary of the APC,” Basiru said. “It is shocking that such an innocuous statement could elicit such uncouth responses from no less than a member of the Federal Executive Council.”

The APC National Secretary defended his earlier remarks, insisting he merely reaffirmed that governors, regardless of political differences, deserve respect as leaders of the party in their respective states.

“For the avoidance of doubt, our records indicate that Minister Nyesom Wike is not a member of our party, the APC. He therefore lacks the locus to dabble into the affairs of our party,” he declared.

“As National Secretary of the APC, I am imbued with the responsibility to protect the interests of the party and all its members. My activities cannot be confined to my home state, Osun State.”

Basiru also dismissed Wike’s allegation that he and other APC leaders were scrambling for a N600 billion “largesse” in Rivers State’s coffers, describing it as “cheap blackmail.”

“My background and track record are of unquestionable integrity,” Basiru stated. “I challenge him to prove his allegations or we may meet in court.”

The APC chieftain further warned Wike against issuing threats, saying he would not be intimidated.

“Wike is not God and may be overplaying his political card,” Basiru cautioned. “My faith is in God, and I will not succumb to cheap threats such as the one from him.”

He maintained that Wike’s support for President Tinubu does not make him an APC member.

“Millions of non-APC Nigerians also support the President, and Wike’s case is no different,” Basiru said. “He cannot bring the spirit of the PDP into the APC or destabilize our structures in Rivers State.”

Concluding his statement, Basiru said Wike must make a choice between serving as a non-party technocrat or interfering in APC matters.

“He cannot be in the Federal Executive Council of an APC government and be causing confusion within our party. The honourable thing to do is to resign his appointment as Minister,” he declared.

Headline

Alleged N432bn Fraud: El-Rufai Spends Monday Night in EFCC Custody

Published

5 days ago

February 17, 2026

Eric

Former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, spent Monday night in the custody of the EFCC following hours of interrogation over alleged financial misappropriation amounting to N432 billion.

El-Rufai arrived at the EFCC headquarters in Jabi, Abuja, around 11:00 a.m. on Monday, February 16, 2026, in response to an invitation reportedly issued in December.

Although he presented himself voluntarily, sources within the anti-graft agency disclosed late Monday that he would remain in custody until investigators reached what they described as “advanced stages” of their questioning.

The probe is said to stem from a 2024 report by the Kaduna State House of Assembly, which accused El-Rufai’s administration between 2015 and 2023 of diverting public funds through multiple state channels.

A senior EFCC official confirmed that investigators are reviewing contracts and financial transactions executed during his eight-year tenure.

Tension flared at the EFCC premises as hundreds of supporters and critics gathered shortly after news of his appearance broke.

Supporters accused the Federal Government of political persecution, chanting solidarity slogans, while a group identified as the Mega National Movement for Good Governance demanded accountability, insisting that no public official is above the law.

Security operatives deployed teargas to disperse the crowd after clashes reportedly broke out between the opposing groups.

In a related development, the Department of State Services (DSS) filed a three-count charge against El-Rufai at the Federal High Court in Abuja.

The charges, marked FHC/ABJ/CR/99/2026, reportedly concern the alleged unlawful interception of telephone communications belonging to the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu.

The filing followed a recent interview in which the former governor claimed he had listened to conversations in which Ribadu allegedly directed security operatives to arrest him upon his return from Egypt last week.

El-Rufai’s legal team, led by Ubong Akpan, has described the investigations as arbitrary and a violation of his constitutional rights.

Meanwhile, indications emerged that the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC) has also scheduled him for questioning on Wednesday, February 18.

As of Tuesday morning, it remained unclear whether the EFCC would seek a court order to extend his detention or proceed with formal charges. Several of his former aides are reportedly already in custody as investigations continue.