Obi says no interest in coalitions that don’t prioritize Nigerians’ well-being
On Monday, January 27, 2025, Peter Obi, the Labour Party’s presidential candidate in the 2023 elections, made it clear that he has no interest in joining any political coalition that doesn’t prioritize the well-being of Nigerians.
Obi, speaking at a national conference on strengthening democracy in Abuja, emphasized that the country is struggling, with poverty increasing daily and citizens suffering. “Nigeria is not working,” Obi declared. “It breeds poverty every day, and people are suffering.”
Responding to questions about the possibility of forming a coalition, Obi stressed that the focus should be on Nigeria’s future and not just power grabs. “For me, what is important is let’s discuss Nigeria. Whether we are going to do coalition, let’s talk about the future of the country,” he said. “But often, we abandon the country and what we need to do is talking about power grab. I’m not interested in any coalition for the purpose of taking power.”
Obi highlighted the importance of addressing key issues like security, education, and improving the lives of ordinary Nigerians. “How do we care about securing the Nigerians? How do we care about the common person in Nigeria? How do we care about our children being in school? That is the most important thing for now,” he said.
The former governor also expressed his concerns about the monetization of politics, calling for an end to the practice. “What you’re doing is that you’re encouraging stealing of public money. Because if I steal it and use it to win an election, then I get all the power and everything, including immunity not to be prosecuted. So we must stop it,” Obi stated, stressing the need to remove such practices to curb corruption in Nigerian politics.
