From John Adams, Minna
Presidential candidate of Labour Party (LP), Peter Obi, yesterday, brought Minna, the Niger state capital to a stand still as his campaign train touched the ancient city to solicit for votes in the February 25 poll.
At the rally, which attracted a mammoth crowd, Obi assured that if elected president, there would be no Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camp across Nigeria. The former Anambra State governor said he would combat insecurity to a standstill even as he blamed bad governance at all levels under APC for giving birth to the security challenges in the country.
Obi said his administration would ensure that Nigeria feeds itself as it was endowed with all the potential to do so, but regretted that terrorists, bandits and other criminal elements have chased the people away from their farms because of the insensitivity of the government.
“We will ensure that nobody will be a refugee in his country. There would be no IDP or IDP camps. Nobody will be killed in his country. We will employ all we can to ensure that this is brought to an end. We won’t take chances. We will fight insecurity and criminality, those terrorists are not more formidable than the government. When we get there we will ensure that they have no opportunity to operate. In this area, I can assure you that you will not find us wanting. We will use Niger State as an example that Nigeria can feed itself. We assure you that all the facilities that are dead across the state would be brought back alive.”
Obi also commiserated with the Catholic community in the state over the murder of Rev. Fr. Isaac Achi by some unidentified gunmen on Sunday in Kafin Koro, Paikoro LGA.
He described the gruesome murder of the cleric as an act of wickedness and man’s inhumanity to man, saying those who takes delight in taking life that they can not give, must pay before God.
He said it was unfortunate that Niger state hitherto known for it peace was playing host to the highest number of Internally Displaced People (IDP) in the country, second only to Borno state due to activities of bandits.
Obi’s running mate, Senator Datti Baba-Ahmed said that by electing the LP candidate as next president,the people would be electing themselves, saying that they should not be swayed by the flaunting of money and unassured promises of other candidates.
Daily Sun observed that the Ibo community in Minna and its environs took time off from their businesses to show solidarity to the LP candidate.
Obi, his running mate and their wives were received by an overwhelming crowd who gathered at the popular Minna polo field owned by the first son of the former Military President Ibrahim Babangida, Mohammed Babangida as early as 7:00am
The LP presidential campaign train had visited the Emir of Bida and Chairman of the Niger State Council of Traditional Rulers, Alhaji Yahaya Abubakar to receive his royal blessing.
While the Presidential candidate and his running mate were addressing the crowd at the polo ground, their wives met with various women groups at Justice Legbo Kutigi International conference center where they assured the women that Obi/Datti Presidency would address the mirage of problems facing Nigerian women.
Before the rally, Peter Obi and his campaign Train made a stop over at the palace of the Emir of Minna, Alhaji Farouk Bahago, to pay his homage.