Former vice-presidential candidate Peter Obi has spoken on the recent defection of Ebonyi State Governor David Umahi from the Peoples Democratic Party to the All Progressives Congress, saying that such political dramas should not form the focus of Nigerians when the country is facing severe economic recession.
Mr Obi, who was responding to a question during his appearance on Arise Television, said he had for a long time refrained from commenting on Umahi’s defection because the country had more pressing economic issues to solve.
He said it would be unfair to Nigerians if their political leaders focused on such trivial issues as defection when a greater percentage of the population were increasingly finding it difficult to put food on their tables.
Obi’s words: “As at today, Nigeria is the poverty capital of the world. We have the highest number of out-of-school children. Our unemployment rate is skyrocketing every day, food stuffs prices are soaring higher and people are dying of hunger. Would it be fair for us to turn blind eyes to all these challenges facing our people and occupy ourselves with who leaves a particular political party or who does not?”
Obi advised every well-meaning Nigerian and every leader who has the interest of the people at heart to leave irrelevant political games and join forces to save Nigeria’s economy from collapsing completely.
He insisted that 2023 elections should not be the discussion now especially with the depressing economic situation prevalent in the country.
“How many people have been pulled out of poverty by Umahi’s defection? Will Nigeria exit recession because Umahi left PDP? What economic value does Umahi’s defection to APC have on the average Nigerian on the street who is struggling to put food on the table? We must not be distracted by political movements at this time. Anyone is free to belong to any political party. Our common focus should be saving our economy and making our governance fruitful and productive,” Obi said.
