The 2023 Labour Party (LP) presidential candidate, Peter Obi, on Monday in Benin City, asserted that the development of any country is domiciled in the local government areas, adding that it is the nearest to the people.
He made the assertion while addressing supporters and candidates of the party during its mega rally ahead of the September 2, 2023, local government council election in Edo.
Obi said: “Local government is the nearest to the people and it is supposed to be the root for ensuring development for the people. The three most critical areas of development are health, education and poverty eradication.
“So, for the system to work, for a country to develop well, it is the local government as everything that has to do with development is domiciled in the local government.
“That is why it is critical to our development and sustainability. As a governor, I was prevented by a host of legal and litigations from conducting local government elections for over six years.
“And I can tell you one thing, we still used the money belonging to the local government system for the people.
“So, we are here today (Monday) to support our candidates in the forthcoming local government elections in Edo state. We will support them with everything,” he said.
Obi, however, tasked electorates in the state to vote massively for candidates of the Labour Party in the coming Local government election, assuring that in doing so, their future would be protected.
According to the former Anambra State Governor, the government must account for public money because today across Nigeria, people are hungry, suffering and dying.
“And we are saying that since things have changed in Nigeria those in government must change and do the right thing,” he maintained.
Speaking earlier, the National Chairman of the Labour Party, Barrister Julius Abure, maintained that the local government was created to bring government and better life to the people.
While commending the Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki for putting modalities in place for the conduct of the election, the LP national chairman advised the governor not to interfere with the process of the election.
“While we will want to commend Governor Obaseki for allowing the local government election to hold, we want to categorically advise that there must be free, fair and credible local government election in Edo.
“We have the best candidates that can man the local government system in Nigeria, hence, the need for the people to vote for all our candidates in the coming Local government election”, Abure said.
Other Labour Party stalwarts who spoke in the same vein include the immediate past President of the Nigeria Bar Association and Governorship hopeful, Barr. Olumide Osaigbovo Akpata and Pastor Azemhe Azena, of the Omega Fire Ministry, another governorship aspirant of the LP.
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