The 2023 presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP), Mr. Peter Obi, had described the northern region as Nigeria’s “greatest asset”, which holds the key to transforming the nation.
Obi said this on Sunday while speaking at a meeting of the National Political Consultative Group (North) at Continental Hotel Abuja.
“The greatest asset of this country is the North. I’ve always said it. The North can change Nigeria,” Obi said.
The former Anambra governor stressed that the region’s agricultural potential is capable of generating more revenue than the oil sector.
He cited rice production as an example, saying 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.”
Obi expressed hope that Nigeria can be reformed with the right leadership and targeted investment, despite its numerous challenges.
“There’s a lot of work to be done, but I believe Nigeria can be turned around,” he concluded.
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