ABUJA — The 2023 presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP), Mr. Peter Obi, has declared that Nigeria’s northern region holds the key to transforming the nation, describing it as the country’s “greatest asset.”
Obi made this assertion on Sunday while speaking at a meeting of the National Political Consultative Group (North) in Abuja. He decried the persistent poverty in the region, attributing it to a lack of investment, particularly in education and agriculture.
“The greatest asset of this country is the North. I’ve always said it. The North can change Nigeria,” Obi said.
He emphasized that the region has untapped agricultural potential capable of generating more revenue than the oil sector. He cited rice production as an example, noting Nigeria’s output lags far behind other countries with less landmass.
“This entire country produces less than six million tonnes of rice. That’s less than 10 percent of what Bangladesh produces,” he said. “Bangladesh has just 148,600 square kilometers—about the size of Niger and Borno states combined.”
Obi linked the high rate of poverty in the North to the worsening security crisis, warning that desperation leaves people vulnerable to recruitment by criminal elements.
“When people don’t know where their next meal will come from, you can never control their actions. That’s why banditry thrives. It all rests on the government to solve it,” he said.
The former Anambra State governor also called for urgent investment in education as a long-term solution to insecurity and underdevelopment.
“The more you pull people out of poverty, the more you solve insecurity. We need to invest in education,” Obi stressed. “Our children are not in school. I’ve sat with Almajiri children—they are some of the most brilliant minds God created. If they can’t go to school, take the school to them.”
Despite the challenges facing the country, Obi expressed hope that Nigeria can be reformed with the right leadership and targeted investment.
“There’s a lot of work to be done, but I believe Nigeria can be turned around,” he concluded.
