The presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in the 2024 general elections, Peter Obi, has commended President Bola Tinubu for launching a nationwide borehole project, a charity initiative that aligns with Obi’s own efforts to provide access to water for the downtrodden.
In a statement issued by the Peter Obi Media Reach (POMR) in Abuja on Sunday, Obi’s media office praised Tinubu for heeding his call on wealthy Nigerians to join him in sinking boreholes across the country.
“The office of the Peter Obi Media Reach, POMR, wishes to thank President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for harkening to the call of our Principal, the Presidential Candidate of the Labour Party in the 2023 election, Peter Obi, to wealthy Nigerians to join him in ensuring the provision of boreholes across the country for the downtrodden in our midst”, Tanko Yunusa, Obi’s spokesman said in the statement.
Obi had earlier embarked on a borehole project, installing some boreholes in several Northern states, including Nasarawa, Bauchi, Kano, Zaria, Kebbi, Suleja, Niger State, and Sokoto, where the water scarcity situation is acute.
The President’s directive to construct 400 boreholes nationwide as part of a charity initiative to honour the memory of his late mother, Alhaja Abibatu Magaji, is a welcome development, according to Obi’s media office.
While commending the President’s spirit of charity, the POMR advised that this new line of thinking should be reflected in government projects, which currently prioritize “bogus projects like coastal highways, mansions, flyovers, and buying of jets” over poverty alleviation.
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The statement noted that it is “shameful” that millions of Nigerians lack access to clean drinking water, decent healthcare, and education, while millions of youths are unemployed. However, the President’s new spirit of charity, if continued, could help alleviate poverty in Nigeria.
The statement read: “The office of the Peter Obi Media Reach, POMR wishes to thank President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for harkening to the call of our Principal, the Presidential Candidate of the Labour Party in the 2023 election, Peter Obi to wealthy Nigerians to join him in ensuring the provision of boreholes across the country for the downtrodden in our midst.
“Obi embarked on the project after witnessing what many Nigerians go through trying to get basic needs like drinking water.
“He had already installed some Boreholes as a short time solution in some Northern states Nasarawa, Bauchi, Kano, Zaria, Kebbi, Suleja Niger State and Sokoto where the situation is acute.
“At the special anniversary of the death of his mother, Alhaja Abibatu Magaji in Abuja at the weekend, the President announced a nationwide project to construct 400 boreholes as a continuation of charity in the late mother’s memory.
“The POMR commends this spirit of charity from the President as it’s in line with our principal’s desire to attend to the poor in our midst.
“POMR would like to advise that this new line of thinking from the President should be reflected in the government projects which at the moment are not addressing the yearnings of the poor in our midst.
“It remains shameful that in a nation where millions have no access to clean drinking water, millions of children are out of school and have no access to decent healthcare with millions of youths out of jobs, yet the government is placing priority on bogus projects like coastal highway, mansions, flyovers and buying of jets etc as a priority.
“The President’s new spirit of charity if it continues will help in pulling many Nigerians out of poverty if it’s diversified.”
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