The presidential candidate of the Labour Party in the 2023 general election, Peter Obi, has stated that he is not desperate to become president in 2027.
Obi faced criticism following his suggestion to the Bola Tinubu administration, urging them to prioritize the repair of deteriorating roads nationwide over pursuing ambitious projects like the Lagos-Calabar coastal road.
During a press conference held in Abuja on Wednesday, April 24, Obi emphasized the tendency of individuals to avoid engaging in discussions concerning critical issues confronting the nation.
“We live in a system where public officeholders and politicians are only seen during elections. I can tell you that it is an everyday job. I have said it several times that I am not desperate to become the president of Nigeria. But I am desperate to see the poor and less privileged Nigerians being pulled out of their difficult situation daily,” Obi said.
“That is what I am desperate to see. And all of us can do it as well. You can’t even be happy or fulfilled when several million (Nigerians) don’t know where the next meal will come from. When I see children suffering, it increases my pain. This is not about campaign.”
Obi further revealed that his approach as president would diverge from the norm, prioritizing the repair of current roads over sanctioning contracts for new ones.
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Highlighting the dire state of key highways like Lagos-Badagry and Kano-Kaduna, the statesman underscored the imperative for any earnest government to prioritize these projects.
“If I were to be the president of Nigeria today, nobody would think of any new road until we finish the existing ones. In this country, we are always trying to do things anyhow. Today, you can’t move from Lagos to Badagry, a short period of fewer than 100 kilometres. It has been under construction for several years. Lagos-Ibadan Expressway has also not been completed for several years.
“The same thing applies to the Kano-Kaduna, Kano-Maiduguri and Sokoto-Funtua. I can even show you the state of all the roads from Kaduna to Abuja. In Kaduna bypass alone, you can queue for hours. You can’t even drive comfortably from Abuja to Okene to Auchi and Benin. It is almost impossible.
“These are roads that already exist and have been in dire need of repairs for years. That is where we need to put our resources and deal with it. We already have a network of roads that need fixing. Why are people introducing things when the existing ones are in bad shape?
“When I was governor of Anambra State, I started by completing the roads started by my predecessor before thinking of doing new ones. For me, this is the critical area that needs attention and that is where I will concentrate,” the former Anambra governor added.
