The presidential candidate of Labour Party, Mr Peter Obi continued his engagement with Nigerians in the Diaspora in Charlotte, North Carolina.
He had arrived the US state of North Carolina in company of Labour Party chieftain, Prof Pat Utomi and other well meaning Nigerians to hold a town hall meeting.
Here are the highlights of Obi’s speech at the meeting coordinated by Chief Johnny Obika and Dr Ben Okwara:
Some of you are here in America by choice; but majority are not here by choice. Circumstances at home have compelled your sojourn here. But I also know this much: If your hearts were not in Nigeria, you won’t be here this evening. So, once again, I thank you for being here.
Nigeria Diaspora family has the capacity to catapult our nation to greatness.
In 2021 Nigeria’s foreign direct investment (FDI) was $4.8 billion. This is paltry compared to Diaspora remittances. Therefore, I see Diaspora remittances as the new normal and becoming Nigeria’s Official Development Assistance (ODA).
Moreover, expert assessments are indicative that with proper policy and planning, Nigerians in Diaspora could potentially remit about $60b annually; which will translate to about 14% of our total GDP.
I foresee a Diaspora role of infinite possibilities when and if our sons and daughters, elect to deploy their technology, expertise, industrial discipline and experience, to Nigeria for national development and encourage their hosts and friends to invest in Nigeria.
The Nigerian Diaspora can help to mobilize efforts in the direction of private sector investment. Beyond your sheer financial power, your contributions also include ideas, creativity, and a diverse global network.
Our vision and mission is to give full expression to our democracy by moving our country from consumption to production.
In transforming the economy we intend to make it more productive, thus creating employment and prosperity for millions of youths, reducing poverty in the land, addressing issues of criminality and insecurity.
Thinking through 2023 and beyond, we must think seriously about a leadership that is imbued with competence, capacity, credibility and commitment. The 4 Cs, will be required to turn Nigeria around.
We will pursue intangible assets of good governance, rule of law, security of lives and properties; and emphasize patriotism, national interest, and national morale, quality of government, political will and character, which are all complimentary to the other assets.
We will ensure that we have these assets in place and stress asset optimization.
We will tackle insecurity robustly, through an aggressive increase in personnel and equipment and inclusive training of operatives in our security agencies.
We will tweak the security architecture, by offering each arm or agency lead in areas where they have comparative advantage.
We intend to lay special emphasis on critical infrastructure, especially Power, to ensure a clear measurable increase of 200% of today’s generation, transmission and distribution, within the shortest possible time through public private partnership.
We will pursue aggressively modalities for raising the national internet penetration, as well as increased contribution of ICT to overall economic growth aid national development.
We will pay particular attention to tackling Nigeria’s myriad domestic challenges, in particular improving governance and promoting national cohesion in as much as an active foreign policy critically depends on a vibrant and peaceful domestic situation.
We will rebuild Nigeria’s military power, promote economic growth, and enhance its technological prowess to improve Nigeria’s diplomatic influence in sub-regional, regional and global affairs via peacekeeping activities.