Akpabio to Peter Obi: Resolve LP crisis before planning to lead Nigeria

Senate President Godswill Akpabio says Peter Obi, Labour Party (LP) presidential candidate in the 2023 elections, should resolve the crisis in his party before making divisive comments about the country.

Akpabio spoke on Thursday during a valedictory session held by the senate in honour of the late Edwin Clark, leader of the Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF).

Opeyemi Bamidele, the senate majority leader, moved the motion for the valedictory session.

“I beg to disagree,” Akpabio said in response to Obi’s recent remark that the labour of Nigeria’s heroes past is now in vain.

“Let our brother, Peter Obi, show leadership, like Edwin Clark did, by resolving first the crisis in the Labour Party.

“For a man who wants to run Nigeria, you have one of the smallest parties in Nigeria.

“And you cannot even resolve the crisis in that Labour Party. Is it the crisis of Boko Haram that you will come and resolve in Nigeria?

“I would like us to be known for what we did when we had the opportunities.

“As I speak now, I can tell you about the dualised thoroughfares in my state.

“I can tell you about the flyovers in my state. I can tell you about the best international hospital in my state.

“I can tell you about the monuments of government houses that I built, both for the governor and deputy, and one of the best digitalised governor’s offices in Nigeria.

“I can tell you about the best international stadium in West Africa. I can tell you about the free and compulsory education that I did for all Nigerians.

“I can tell you about the unity I brought in religion by sponsoring over 5,800 Muslims to the holy land and over 12,000 to 15,000 Christians to Rome and to Jerusalem.”

Akpabio said those aspiring to lead Nigeria should not “cause division with their mouths” while failing to manage affairs in their political parties.

“But then, those who are aspiring as presidential candidates and trying to cause division with their mouths, using social media, tell them to resolve the small crisis in the smallest party they have in Nigeria first, before they come to talk about the larger Nigeria,” he added.

“But for the social media, it is unregulated. I wish you luck as you have a field day.

“I am saying this because this is what Pa Edwin Clark would have advised if he were alive, so I have started to speak in his voice.”

On Wednesday, Obi said highlighting Nigeria’s challenges does not amount to demarketing the country.

The former Anambra governor spoke while delivering a speech at the memorial lecture of Clark.

He was reacting to criticisms that his remarks in international forums often paint Nigeria in a bad light.