The Labour Party flag-bearer for the 2023 Nigeria presidential election, Mr Peter Obi has pledged to increase electricity generation, address brain drain, and implement Diaspora voting, among others if elected.
Obi made the pledge on Sunday at Columbia University, New York while having a conversation on economic and government policy with Columbia’s Africa Business Club, Black Law Students Association, and the Nigerian Diaspora in New York.
This event is part of his “Good Governance Series: The role of Nigeria’s Diaspora” in the U.S., having visited five states, viz North Carolina, Texas, Washington DC, Atlanta and California.
Obi said that South Africa which produces 50,000 megawatts of electricity had recently declared a state of emergency in the power sector for those who can generate below 100 megawatts without a licence.
“But Nigeria generates 4,000 megawatts of electricity but did not declare emergency in the power sector,’’ he said.
He told the gathering that he knew what to do and asked them to give him the opportunity to turn his plans and vision for Nigeria into reality.
“I don’t have solutions to all problems and leaders don’t, but I will consult when I need to consult,’’ he said.
The Presidential candidate said he would turn brain drain to brain in Nigeria, urging Nigerians in Diaspora to be investors instead of doing social welfare for people to eat and do burials.
On Diaspora voting, Obi said 2023 would be the last time Nigerians in the Diaspora would not vote, noting that if other countries in Africa can do it, Nigeria can also do it.
Speaking on the economy, he said Nigeria was blessed with rich land resources but lacked good leaders to harness the resources.
“The Netherlands generated 120 billion dollars in agricultural export in 2021 and Nigeria has a land mass bigger than Netherlands but most states in Nigeria don’t contribute to the national purse but only take,’’ he said.
