The Presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Mr Peter Obi, has made some revelations about his plans for handling the epileptic power supply which has bedevilled the country for many decades if elected President.
Obi made the vow during The Peoples Townhall, an event organised by Channels Television in conjunction with several of its partners in Abuja, on Sunday.
Starting with the issue of security under which separatist agitations fall, the LP candidate said his administration would adopt the carrot-and-stick approach.
He explained that by this, he means first using dialogue to win over the aggrieved and then applying the military option when necessary to ensure the protection of Nigerian lives and property.
Obi said, “We are in a democratic dispensation; you govern by discussing, you govern by consensus. So, I will sit down and discuss with every agitator without the exception of the name. We must use carrot and stick (approach).
“I will discuss with those who want to discuss. You have to look at what is causing agitations today; it is issues of injustice, issues where there is no fairness, issues to do with poverty, and unemployment.
“When you start to address these issues and you engage them in discussions and you start bringing them to the table, no agitator anywhere in the world will see the reason that things are going the way they ought to and will continue to agitate because they are agitating for something.”
While defending his choice, of options, the LP candidate maintained that holding discussions with such people remains the best way to get to the root of such agitations in order to find lasting solutions to them.
He argued that no agitator anywhere in the world will continue with his/ her agitation when they see a clear commitment on the part of the government to do the right thing.
The LP standard bearer stressed that agitation in itself is not out of place in any democracy, noting that even at home, children agitate, but when their parents sit them down and explain things in a way they understand, they see reason and eventually agree with them.
He said that Nigeria will continue to be in crisis if the government continues on the path of what he described as injustice, unfairness, poverty, unemployment and young people not knowing where the next meal will come from.
Obi also spoke about dealing with the issue of corruption in the procurement process within the military.
In response to a question on the subject and the seeming lack of synergy within the various security agencies in Nigeria, he promised to bring them together.
He said, “We will bring them together and make sure there is clear authority and when there is any failure, I will deal with it decisively.”
On the issue of procurement in the military, he said , “All procurements must be transparent. I assure you there will be nothing done under the table. “
