Obi: If Elected President, I’ll Correct Bad Policies Initiated By Tinubu’s Govt
Presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress, Peter Obi, in this interview with Arise News TV, speaks extensively on his ambition to govern Nigeria, his assessment of President Bola Tinubu’s government, removal of fuel subsidy, government spending, insecurity, challenges confronting the North, and his approach to governance, among other issues. Sunday Aborisade brings excerpts.
How do you assess the removal of fuel subsidy and the economic consequences for Nigerians?
The subsidy regime in Nigeria was enmeshed with corruption and criminality. I have said clearly that I will remove subsidies and fight corruption and criminality.
It is only when you remove it that you will know exactly whether we have a subsidy or not. I believe that if you remove corruption, there might not be a subsidy. That’s my belief.
Nigeria is an oil-producing country. If we have regular crude supply to our local refineries and we refine competitively, the price of fuel can come down.
What I believe is that subsidy should be directed towards productive sectors, particularly agriculture and other areas that can create jobs and wealth.
But the government has argued that the removal of subsidy has saved the country enormous amounts of money.
It’s actually the government who said that the subsidy they removed produced N15.8 trillion. Can you look at that and show the effect of this?
We’ve impoverished ourselves because we removed subsidy and no gain is seen. Because the money we say we have borrowed, we borrowed more.
The question is: what have we done with the money? If you say you saved N15.8 trillion or about N16 trillion, Nigerians should see the impact.
To do a cancer centre will cost you about N4 billion to N5 billion. We have less than 10 cancer centres. And to add just 25, you need to spend about N100 billion. That’s what our President used to buy a plane. A jet. And we saved N16 trillion.
So, it is about priorities. We need to direct resources into areas that improve the lives of ordinary Nigerians.
What would your economic strategy be?
We need to support production. We need to invest in agriculture, manufacturing, SMEs, education, health and skills.
Look at Indonesia, for instance. Their interest rate is around 15 per cent, but SMEs can access funds at three to five per cent, with a maximum of about six per cent. That is productive subsidy.
I believe subsidy should go into productive areas that will enable people to produce, employ people and create wealth.
How would you address the economic challenges in the North?
If there’s one President in the North who celebrates, it’s me. I know the problems in the Northern part. I will deal with the issue of poverty the way it has not been dealt with before, and in a non-corrupt way, where they will see it.
The North has an asset, and that asset is agriculture. We’ll invest in it. We’ll give the subsidy in it.
We will ensure that it will take all those poor people, almajiris, back to education.
We will invest in health and skills. We will revive manufacturing in Kano, Bompai and Sharada. There are areas in the North that used to be centres of production and manufacturing.
And this fuel you’re talking about, we will moderate the price all over Nigeria. It’s not only affecting them.
You have been critical of President Bola Tinubu. How would you assess his administration?
They’ve not done well. They’ve been a bit reckless in what they’re doing. At times, I believe he’s not in charge.
Because if he’s in charge, he will even be explaining to the people. That’s what I’m talking about, capacity. I will be in charge.
Nobody, nobody will talk for Peter. Because I’m the one that’s elected. I’ll be answerable to the people. And for every penny, I’ll be answerable to the people.
What would be different about your presidency?
A – I will be responsible. I will be present. I will be answerable to the people. We want a president that can come out and move around and see the ordinary people of Nigeria. I’ve visited 180 communities in Anambra State. There’s no community I did not physically visit as governor. I will visit every state at least once a year.
It’s not government by proxy. It is by capacity and feeling it physically. And I’ll be there.
Would you build new presidential buildings, guest houses and other facilities if elected?
No new building. We’re not going to start building new extensions for the President, or for the wife, or for anybody. No. We will fix what is existing. We’ll fix the existing roads before the new roads. The idea is to ensure that government expenditure is focused on things that directly benefit Nigerians.
What about presidential foreign trips and holidays?
The Nigerian President must spend his vacation in Nigeria. We cannot continue with this nonsense.
As President of Nigeria, I’ll visit other countries, but I’ll not take my holidays in other countries. The holiday is here.
When there is a crisis in places like Jos or Benue, I will not simply remain in Abuja and issue statements. I will go there, stay there, consult with the stakeholders and understand what is happening.
If it is Sallah, for instance, I can spend it in Sokoto or Kano. The President must be physically connected to the people.
You have also made insecurity a major part of your campaign. What would you do differently?
Insecurity today is making it impossible for farmers to go to the farm. It’s making it impossible for produce to be moved around. It’s making it impossible for manufacturers to move their goods. It is making it impossible even for human movement.
The President must personally command security. In my first week, I will appoint competent security agency heads and give them decisive instructions. But I will also consult local stakeholders because security is not something you solve only from Abuja. I’m not going to sit in Abuja if there’s a problem in Zamfara. I’m going to visit Zamfara.
Would you support state police?
We will do whatever it takes to secure the country. If the existing structure is not enough to secure Nigerians, then we must look at other options, including state police, while putting the necessary safeguards in place.
Would your government pay ransom to kidnappers?
No.
What would you do when people are kidnapped and taken into the bush?
Today, the government knows where I am. All those equipment they’re using to focus on opponents, should we focus on criminals? I’m going to focus it where it is. I’ll take decisive action. There might be casualties. It doesn’t matter who that is, me. But we will deal with it decisively.
I’m not going to stay in Abuja when 600 people are kidnapped and in the bush. And that bush is in Nigeria.
When I was governor of Anambra, we had situations involving kidnappers around the Aba Forest and Onitsha axis. We ordered the security agencies to enter and clear those areas. The same determination is required nationally.
You have said that you won the 2023 presidential election. Do you still hold that position?
As long as I live, I will maintain that I won the 2023 presidential election. Because they know. Those who conducted the election know the records. They know why there was a glitch. They know what happened and everything. But I said I’ll leave it to the past.
If you contest in 2027 and lose a free and fair election, will you concede?
If the election is free, fair and credible, I will. That’s it. Because it’s an election. I’m not the one that will say who they want to serve. And I will respect the will of the people. That’s democracy.
What is your position on the argument that it is now the turn of another region or political bloc to produce the President?
Our elections should not be driven by tribe or religion.
Today, in terms of qualification, I’m qualified to be President of Nigeria. I have the competence. If you find anyone wrong, I withdraw from the race. Since 1960, nobody born after 1960 has been President of Nigeria? This is the 66th year of independence. I can change this country, and I’m committed to it. And people will see it. They will feel it.
You have promised a one-term presidency. Why?
I will not stay a day longer. You don’t need 100 years to start a journey in the right direction. Nigeria is headed in the wrong direction today. I just need to reverse it and head it in the right direction. In four years, people will see the difference.
What makes you believe four years is enough to change Nigeria?
You don’t need 100 years to start a journey in the right direction. If you put the right people in the right places, establish accountability, stop waste and corruption, and invest in productive sectors, people will begin to feel the difference. The first thing is to change the direction.
You have spoken about competence and capacity. What gives you confidence that you have the capacity to lead Nigeria?
I have studied what it takes to be President. I have attended Oxford, Cambridge, Harvard, Columbia, Kellogg, IMD. But education alone is not enough. It is about capacity to use what you know. I have governed a state. I know what it means to manage resources. I know what it means to make decisions and be accountable. Nobody will talk for Peter. Because I’m the one elected. I’ll be answerable to the people.
What is your position on the political coalition and your relationship with other opposition leaders?
The coalition must be party-to-party and institutional. It should not be about individuals. If we are building something for Nigeria, it must be bigger than any individual. I will respect collegiate decisions. What matters is building a platform that can give Nigerians a credible alternative.
Some Nigerians worry that election violence could undermine the 2027 process. What would you do about political thuggery?
I want to build a new Nigeria so that nobody can use them as thugs. Nobody can use them for this type of job. Because I won’t allow it. It did not happen when I was governor, and it will never be allowed to happen.
How will you approach election monitoring after what happened in 2023?
In 2023, we took things for granted. We believed INEC.
This time, we will only trust them by doing the right thing ourselves. We have to participate actively, monitor the process and ensure that everything is properly documented.
You have faced criticism over your appeal to voters in different parts of the country, particularly the North. How do you intend to win support across Nigeria?
We must build a future based on love, not on hatred.
I was not involved with what happened in the past. Those who dwell on yesterday and today will miss tomorrow.
I believe in one Nigeria. I believe that Nigeria can work.
The North has enormous potential, particularly in agriculture. The South also has enormous potential. Every part of Nigeria must be developed.
If elected, what kind of President should Nigerians expect?
We want a president that can come out and move around and see the ordinary people of Nigeria. Iwill visit every state at least once a year. It’s not government by proxy. It is by capacity and feeling it physically. And I’ll be there. I want Nigerians to feel that their President is with them, understands their problems and is accountable to them.
What is your central message to Nigerians ahead of 2027?
I can change this country, and I’m committed to it. And people will see it. They will feel it. Nigeria does not need a presidency driven by tribe, religion or the idea of whose turn it is. We need competence. We need capacity. We need accountability. You don’t need 100 years to start a journey in the right direction. Nigeria is headed in the wrong direction today. I just need to reverse it and head it in the right direction. In four years, people will see the difference.