Peter Obi, the Presidential Candidate of the Labour Party, has promised that he will not give excuses or lay the blame for his failures on any of his predecessors if he becomes president in 2023.
The former Anambra State governor stated this at the Editors Forum, an initiative of the Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE), in Lagos on Monday.
Obi promised that if Nigerians trust him with their votes in the forthcoming presidential election, he will face his job squarely without chastising any past president in the country.
“Next year’s election will be based on character, competence, capacity, and ability or commitment to start doing the right thing.
"I assure you that I am committed”, he pledged.
He added that he is equipped with the mental and physical strength required to drive the wheel of a multi-ethnic country like Nigeria.
“Security, I am going to deal with it headlong. I will be responsible. I won’t take any excuses”, he furthered.
“I want to assure Nigerians that I can do this work, and it has to be done.
"I am not going to give excuses. I don’t want to go in and start studying what to do.
“I don’t want to go in and start complaining and blaming predecessors because if the past was good, you won’t hire me. "
I am not here to look back. I am here to solve problem."
He enunciated that it is not expected of a good leader to give excuses but rather give good accounts and stories of success, a feat he can promise Nigerians.
“If they hire me, I am going to tell them (Nigerians) good stories and not to start reminding them about the past and what someone left undone,” he added.
He also hinted that he would be an exemplary leader who would combat corruption, supervise projects and bring sanity into the country’s polarised system.
To Obi, the cost of governance in the country is high and unacceptable.
He said one of his utmost priorities as soon as he assumes office is to reduce it to the barest minimum.
“Leadership changes everything, but the driver must be known, trained and have the competence,” he explained.
He also revealed that he had examined and understood the nation’s challenges,ranging from security, economy, poverty, agriculture, micro and small business, to corruption.
He said he has engineered a strong political will to build an institutional framework to make the country great.
“I don’t need to tell you anything about fighting corruption because all you need to do is to go to Anambra State and ask how many parcels of land were allocated to Peter Obi, his wife and children or anybody. If you see one, I stop campaigning.
“If you see any contractor that says I sat down with him and negotiated what is my own benefit in contracts, I will stop campaigning.
"I am not a saint. I became governor by His Grace but I cannot abuse grace,” he said.
He also cautioned Nigerians that the 2023 poll should not be seen as a tribal war adding that it is not also a show of display of academic certificates.
“Remember that certificate is not a measure of character and integrity. We are looking for people who will not steal our money.
“So, go and scrutinise all of us. We should vote people based on track record, age, strength because the job requires physical and mental energy,” he detailed.
Akin Osuntokun, the South West coordinator of his campaign, Aisha Yesufu, and Ndi Kato, Spokesperson of the Obi-Datti Presidential Campaign Organisation are a few of his supporters who accompanied him to the event.
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