By CHARLES IWUOHA

Presidential Candidate of Labour Party (LP), Mr. Peter Obi, has again said that both the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, and the All Progressives Congress, APC, have structures of criminality and poverty.

Obi rubbished claims that he has no political structure to win the 2023 election.

Speaking in Enugu on Thursday at the Michael Okpara Square during the party’s Presidential campaign rally, Obi said the parties were merely receiving Nigerians.

Earlier in the day, he also held discussions with massive crowd at both the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, UNN, and the Enugu campus of the University.

Addressing the crowd, Obi said nobody should be deceived over claims of structure, stressing that it was the turn of the Nigerian youths to retake the country.

“They told you I have no structure. What they have is structure of criminality, structure of fuel scarcity, structure of poverty,” Obi said.

While advising the people not to be carried away by the promises of the same people who he said had destroyed the country, he lamented that “in our country today, 133 million people are living in poverty, how many are left?

“We have more poor people than India and China combined. We have a lot of people living in poverty, we cannot continue this way, millions of people are living without knowing where the next meal will come from.

“Today, moving around the country, you are not secured. I assure you that I and Datti will secure and unite Nigeria.”

Obi equally enjoined the electorate not to be swayed by religion and ethnicity while casting their ballot.

“I am am a Nigerian and I want to change Nigeria. I don’t have dual citizenship of any country. I don’t have resident permit of any country.

“This year’s election will not be by tribe or religion. No tribe or religion buys bread cheaper.

“I am not contesting because I am an Igbo man. I am a proud Igbo man but I am contesting because I have the capacity.

“It is nobody’s turn, it is your turn. It is your turn to have something you are doing.

“I told students today, no more ASUU strike, four years will be four years, five years will be five years,” he further stated.

Also speaking, the Vice Presidential candidate of the party, Yusuf Datti Baba-Ahmed declared that the North is ready for the polls.

“This is 2023, it is the turn of Peter Obi and I tell you, nobody and nothing is coming in-between.

“Apart from Peter Obi, any other person contesting is deceiving himself. Peter Obi is that exemplary leader who is moving Nigeria from disunity to unity.

“Peter Obi is that shining Nigerian that is moving the country from consumption to production. We are different and we will lead Nigeria to prosperity differently.

“From the day you hear Mr. Peter Obi, President of Nigeria, we will stop the killing and start the healing. We will stop the stealing and start the giving.

“This election is as good as won; the North say, we are ready,” he declared.

In their separate remarks, a former Governor of Anambra State, Chief Chukwuemeka Ezeife and the immediate past President-General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Chief Nnia Nwodo urged Nigerians to remain committed to the Peter Obi project.

Ezeife said: “The result of the polls is clearly predictable. When people tell me happy New Year, I tell them welcome to New Nigeria.

“God has given us Peter Obi to enthrone equity, justice and economic development. God has modelled Peter Obi in every direction. He has character, capability. The years the locust has eaten, Peter will help Nigeria to recover.”

On his part, Nwodo said, “There is God’s hands in the Obi project.

“The youths, this is your flight. Our country is in shambles. Our prayer is that Obi will open the door of economic prosperity for the country.

“On behalf of the Southern and Middle Belt Forum and Ohanaeze we wish Peter Obi success.”

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