The Presidential Candidate of Labour Party, Mr Peter Obi, has revealed that he would ensure lasting peace in the country by unifying the country and rebuilding its social cohesion and mutual trust among the people.
Obi made this known at the Goodluck Jonathan Foundation Peace Conference in Abuja, where he was represented by his Principal Adviser, Mr Oseloka Obaze.
Addressing journalists after the event, Obi restated his readiness to build a new Nigeria where the different parts of the country coexist peacefully with one another while working together to achieve integrated development of the nation.
He stated that one of the main tasks ahead of the new leadership that will come into power is uniting the country and restoring faith in our nationhood. “We are so badly polarised in our country. We have become more sharply divided along ethnic and religious lines that we all live in mutual distrust of one another, and true peace continues to elude us,” Obi lamented.
He further stated that he looked forward to a new Nigeria where the people would live and thrive in any part of the country and be free to fully maximize their potentials. He said that his government, if elected, would commit to justice, fairness and equity, which, he said, were the bed rock of peace. He said he would ensure that all Nigerians are treated fairly and equally, irrespective of tribe and religion.
He called on those he described as merchants of violence in the country to have a rethink and give peace a chance. He regretted that numerous precious lives have been lost to violence in the form of banditry, terrorism, tribal agitations, political uprisings, amongst others. He expressed hope that by the day’s celebration of peace, such purveyors of violence would open their hearts to peace.
