Former presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi, has said he would prioritise the development of northern Nigeria, describing the region as the country’s most valuable asset.
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Speaking on Prime Time, a programme on Arise Television, Obi said the North’s vast uncultivated land presents an opportunity for Nigeria to surpass its oil earnings through agriculture.
“Our greatest asset is in the north. The vast uncultivated land in the north is our future. We can make more money as a country from agriculture than we make from oil, and we must begin to do that immediately,” he said.
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He also expressed willingness to collaborate with key political figures from the region, including Nasir El-Rufai and Rabiu Kwankwaso.
“I will work with them, but I can tell you that nobody can build what I intend to build in the north,” Obi added.
On security, the former Anambra State governor linked the region’s challenges to poverty and governance gaps, stressing the need for investment in agriculture, education, and healthcare.
The development reflects broader trends in APC political updates across Nigeria.
“If we want to secure the north today, we need to start investing in critical areas of agriculture, pull people out of poverty, and invest in education and health. That is what we must do,” he said.
Obi argued that the current insecurity is a result of years of poor leadership and neglect.
“Insecurity we see today is caused by erosion of governance, erosion of values, and abandoning the youths. It is the cumulative effect of leadership failure over the years,” he said.
He called for a more decisive national response to security threats.
“We have reached a stage where we have to be very decisive. It is no longer an issue of negotiation,” he said.
“No nation will lose about 10 of its senior officers and not declare war. I will declare war.”
Obi added that his views are informed by observations from other countries, noting that he has studied development models abroad to better understand how to unlock the North’s economic potential.
