The Presidential Candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi, on Sunday in Abuja, said it is past time for prayers alone to salvage the country.
This was as he said Nigerians must act now to ensure accountable leadership.
Obi was speaking at a panel session at the Men of Valour Conference themed, ‘Navigating the Corridors of Power: The Church and Politics,’ convened by the Revival House of Glory, Abuja.
Fielding questions from the audience, Obi said Nigerians have played their religious roles enough and therefore it is time to take action by mobilising and voting for their candidate of choice.
“We have prayed enough, it is time to act. With these people in power? You can pray from now until any time, they won’t go until you chase them out.
“So it is time to act, not just pray. It is time for us to close the church and deal with these people.”
Obi also confirmed that there are indeed ongoing negotiations between the Labour Party and New Nigerian Peoples Party.
Asked about who would be the likely running mate between him and the NNDP candidate, Obi declined comments saying “All I can say is that what he said is correct. I can’t say more than that.”
The former Anambra State governor also described 70 per cent of politicians in Nigeria today as lunatics.
According to him, only a lunatic in government would siphon N80bn of the state money for personal use.
He warned that the country would continue to suffer unless “these lunatics” give way to competent people.
“We can’t allow this gangsterism to continue, Nigerians should take back their country. 70 per cent of those who are in politics today should not have any reason to be there. I have said it, politics in Nigeria is a case where lunatics have taken over the asylum.
“This is the only country where the worst is leading. I was a trader and gradually entered into politics. When you take far more than you need you are sick.
“How do you explain that one person took N80 billion. It is not greed, it is sickness. When you take N1bn that is greed but when you take N80 billion, that is sickness. Mad people have taken over our politics.
“If we get young people with the competence and capacity to be there, things will change,” he said.
On whether a third force can wrest power from the powerful duo of All Progressive Congress and Peoples Democratic Party, the LP Presidential candidate said Nigerians would decide.
Obi stated, “It is about the people. When I contested as governor in Anambra I did so in a small party. People told me that I had no structure. People are the structure. When I was a governor in Anambra, my party had no state or federal lawmakers.
“When I left as governor no state was as financially stable as Anambra. We were not owing anybody. The people will decide who will rule them. Luckily we have eight months, let people come and tell you how they have started. Come and tell us, don’t use people or glossy paper, tell us from your mouth so that we can hold you to account.”
Obi, formerly a presidential aspirant in the Peoples Democratic Party, decamped and pulled out of the race on May 25, 2022; days before the PDP primary election which saw the emergence of Atiku Abubakar as flagbearer.
Shortly after, on May 30, he became the Presidential candidate of the Labour Party after Professor Pat Utomi stepped down to hand him the ticket.
