“This country is sick and should not be handed over to a sick person. I am not saying that anyone is sick. We have been here for over two hours; we don’t want people who can’t stand for 30 minutes.”
These were the words of Peter Obi, the presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP), with which he tried to rouse the Nigerian people ahead of the 2023 election, and to get them to vote the right people that would lead the country, especially at the presidential level.
Describing himself as the best among all the candidates contesting, Obi told his audience on Thursday during an interaction with students and stakeholders at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN) Business School in Enugu, ahead of his presidential campaign in the state that the job of the President required full physical and mental alertness.
Stating that the nation’s number one job, also required quality character and competence, which could not be found in those who dodged a common debate, an opportunity to engage with the people and marshal out their programmes, he said the natural consequence of such a failure was rejection at the polls.
In obvious dig at Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), who have been challenged over his identity details, Obi, added: “In the United States, during election, they go for debates. Somebody once asked Barack Obama questions that are personal and he answered. But here in Nigeria, somebody wants to contest election, we don’t know his real age; we don’t know his name; we don’t know the schools he attended. Nobody knows his real identity and he is pushing to lead everybody.
“My name is Peter Obi. I can say I went to CKC, went to University of Nigeria, Nsukka. Both the VC today, the DVC today, these are my school mates. We came into university the same year and left the same year.
“The people I went to school [with], I can see them here today — my seniors and my juniors. How come we now have people who do not have classmates? This is very important.
“If you said you will fight corruption, let’s go to the road you have passed and see what is remaining there after you left. This year’s election must be based on competence as it requires physical and mental energy, not a retirement job.”
Apart from Tinubu, allegedly suffering some serious ailments, which had made him manifest some uncanny tendencies, even at rallies, Atiku, had also been challenged on his health status, with Femi Fani-Kayode, former Minister of Aviation, alleging that his current trip abroad had much to do with seeing his doctors in Dubai, the United Arab Emirate (UAE) than the official explanation that he was invited to London to meet with officials of UK government.