•We can work together for the good of the people – Peter Obi
Bauchi State Governor, Bala Mohammed has said he is ready to support the presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in the 2023 general elections, Peter Obi in the 2027 general elections “to recover Nigeria”.
The duo met behind closed doors at the Ramat House, Bauchi on Thursday to mapout strategies for the 2027 elections.
Briefing anxious journalists at the end of the meeting, the two speaking differently agreed that there is the need to work together to form a strong alliance that can make a positive impact in 2027.
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According to Bala Mohammed, “Today, we were pleasantly visited by one of foremost decimal in Nigeria, Peter Obi who we have a lot of respect for because of his style of politics, because of his statesmanship and versatile nature.
“He remains one of the respected Elder Statesmen in Nigeria because of his versatility, he was almost winner of the 2023 presidential election, he is well knowledgeable about the economy and he knows the country too well. He knows where politics and politicking should be. He knows about good governance and reaction of the people.
“Peter Obi has done tremendously well in uniting the country and bringing the people together in a vanguard to fight poverty and ignorance as well as to remove the prejudices, some perception of the problems of the country.
“It was a delight to listen to him giving the statistics, the summary of the economic crisis in the country. We in the PDP Governors Forum have always admired him, fond of him. Behind the scenes, we have been meeting, this is not the first time we are meeting. In fact, I met him in Abuja and out of his normal humility, he decided to come here.
“We have discussed so many issues as he said, we discussed the ongoing Rivers State challenges and I feel hight elated the way he spoke about it and I really appreciate him as a leader of the opposition in the country, whether we like it or not, he is the leader of the opposition now in Nigeria because of his position and pedigree.
“So, let me say it loud and clear because of those doubting Thomases who might want to preempt what we are doing. Myself as a person I am very ready to work with Peter Obi, we will come together, close ranks and give good governance to the country, we will give vibrant opposition with visions, honesty and accountability.
“We will rescue and recover our country from those mediocre that are parading themselves as leaders. The time has definitely come, and we must work together with sincerity of focus. I am very sure that our coming together now is a message, a message that is going to resonate. My colleagues the Governors are behind this kind of journey. We will take up from there and escalate it.”
On his part, Obi said, “This visit was to come and discuss the future of this country. All of you are aware that where we are today as a country was as a result of the mistake made in the past. As a people, we did not get it right.
“The North is a critical component if we are going to get it right in this country and I am a strong believer in saying this fact anywhere I go. When people say to me that there are so many criminality in Nigeria, especially in the North. I tell them, no, there is poverty in Nigeria.
“To resolve criminality you must deal with poverty decisively because when people don’t know what the next meal will be, where is it coming from, you can’t hold them down. We keep seeing poverty in the North with no end on sight. Somethings must be done to salvage the situation.
“We have a lot of things to do together away from theatrics we are daily watching from our political leaders in the country now. Every morning comes with its own film from their stable, we have to do away with that, get serious to discuss how to refix Nigeria, how to restore dignity of the people and have a better Nigeria.”
Bala Mohammed later led Obi and his entourage to the Palace of the Emir of Bauchi, Alhaji Rilwanu Suleiman Adamu to pay the traditional homage.
and then