Former presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi, has declared that Nigeria needs a leader with proven experience in wealth creation and resource management, insisting that no current presidential aspirant, including President Bola Tinubu, can match his background in building businesses.
Obi made the remarks during an interview with MD/CEO of News Central, Kayode Akintemi, on the programme 60 Minutes with Kay, aired on Thursday.
Reacting to comments previously made by Rabiu Kwankwaso at Chatham House in London in 2023, Obi said qualification for leadership should be judged by the nation’s current needs rather than academic titles alone.
Kwankwaso, who was the presidential candidate of the New Nigeria Peoples Party during the 2023 election, had stated that his PhD and political experience made him more qualified to lead Nigeria than serve as Obi’s running mate.
Responding to the claim, Obi acknowledged Kwankwaso’s academic and political credentials but maintained that Nigeria’s pressing economic realities require a leader with hands-on experience in creating and managing wealth.
“Qualification is a perspective and depends on where you’re coming from. He said he was more qualified because he has a PhD, which is not bad. I don’t have a PhD,” Obi said.
“He has experience and exposure. He was a minister, and there’s no doubt about that. But for what Nigeria needs today, Nigeria needs a wealth creator and a wealth manager.”
The former Anambra State governor further argued that his track record in business distinguishes him from other political figures in the country.
“I have built reputable businesses from scratch locally and internationally. Nobody today in this context, including the president, can claim to have passed through my experience,” he stated.
Obi also addressed criticisms labelling him a “common trader,” saying successful trading requires discipline, strategy and resilience.
“Trading and making money from it is one of the most difficult things to do; otherwise, everyone would be a trader,” he said.
According to Obi, Nigeria’s future depends on electing leaders capable of generating economic growth rather than merely distributing existing resources.
“What Nigeria needs today is somebody who creates wealth, not somebody who shares wealth — somebody who can manage resources more efficiently and save for the future,” he added.
Comments