From Okey Sampson, Umuahia

Presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP) Mr Peter Obi has said he would use public funds to better the living conditions of Nigerians if elected president in 2023.

“Some people say I am, stingy, but I believe in using public funds to better the lives of the majority instead of sharing it among a few people,” the presidential candidate stated.

Obi, who made the remark on Saturday in Umuahia during an award of scholarship to 26 undergraduates by the Alex Otti Foundation (AOF), lamented that it is unacceptable that despite the resources God gave the country, millions of Nigerians don’t know where their next meal would come from.

The LP presidential candidate further warned that politicians must stop abusing God’s grace in the country and use public money for public good.

He urged Nigerians to elect credible people into leadership positions to fix the country before it gets worse, stressing that Nigeria must move from a consuming nation to a producing one.

Related: 2023 election: Obi visits Ikpeazu, reiterates passion to serve Nigerians

“I’m warning everybody, lets fix Nigeria before it gets worse . We must fix this place now. It is not acceptable that with the huge resources God gave Nigeria, millions of Nigerians don’t know where their next meal would come.

“This is not acceptable. We must stop abusing the grace of God and use public money for the public good. All I’m begging is ,go and verify all the candidates,ask questions about what they have done.

“We cannot continue this way. This is not our country. A country where people cannot buy a loaf of bread is not our country. Our country must be productive. We must take back our country and end this poverty. In 2023, we must make a difference. We must take back our country and rebuild it,” he stated.

Presenting the scholarship awards to the undergraduates, founder of the Foundation, Dr Alex Otti, described the gesture as his contribution to assist less privileged undergraduates acquire education.

He explained that the scholarship programme which is for second year undergraduates is open to students of Abia State origin and others resident in the state.

Speaking earlier, Executive Director of the Foundation, Chinedu Ekeke, disclosed that over 100 undergraduates applied for the scholarship programme while only 26 were successful.

He said the award was an annual exercise and 100 per cent financed by the AOF.