2023: Obi denies offering Kwankwaso N40bn to withdraw from presidential race

The Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has dismissed reports on the offer of N40 billion to his New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) counterpart, Rabiu Kwankwaso, to withdraw from the 2023 election.

Reports emerged at the weekend that Obi offered the former Kano State governor the said amount to drop his presidential ambition and support him.

The LP candidate, who spoke in an interactive session with the Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE) in Lagos, insisted that no one was funding his presidential campaigns.

He promised to be responsible and accountable to Nigerians if elected as the country’s president next year.

Obi said: “I never knowingly or unknowingly, offered anybody money to become president. In all my talks with Kwankwaso, I never offered him any money.

“Nobody as of today will say he’s funding Peter Obi, I’m funding myself, I don’t pay people to work for me.

“Let nobody say we are going to manage someone who will surround himself with people that will mismanage our resources again.

“Next year’s election will not be about the tribe. Please do not vote for Peter Obi because he is from the South-East. It is not going to be my turn, but the turn of Nigerians to take back their country.

“It is not about tribe because the people in the South do not buy bread cheaper or show me where in the South-West where they have uninterrupted electricity supply or roads that are meant for South-West people only.

“Since I came to Lagos, they have been constructing Lagos- Ibadan Expressway and it has not been completed. So, it is not about the tribe. The North is more insecure than the South, so it has nothing to do with the tribe.

READ ALSO: Abiola, Kwankwaso, Obi identify state police, job creation as solutions to Nigeria’s insecurity

“It is not about religion because I don’t see where Christians buy bread cheaper than Muslims. It is the confusion of the elite to continue to impoverish the people. I’m a Nigerian and I’m contesting this election as a Nigerian. We are about 18 people contesting this election but some will be better in terms of Queens English, and some will have better certificates but remember that a certificate is not a measure of character and integrity.

“We are looking for people who will not steal our money. So, you need to examine all of us and know who to trust based on character, integrity and competence. Next year’s election will be based on character, competence, capacity and ability or commitment to start doing the right thing and I assure you that I’m committed to it.

“It is going to be difficult but it requires huge mental and physical energy. Let nobody say we are going to manage someone who will surround himself with people that will mismanage our resources again.

“I want Nigerians to hold me accountable and I will be in charge and I will drive the development. If it is security, I’m going to deal with it head-on because I will be responsible and I will make sure that I bring people who are responsive and responsible to do the work. I want to assure Nigerians that I can do this work and it has to be done. And I will not give excuses because the job of a leader is to be responsible.”

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