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The presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress, NDC, Peter Obi, has asked Nigerians whether the nation is cursed or whether Nigerians are the cause, as the country marks its 66th Independence Anniversary.

In his Independence Day broadcast to mark the 66th Independence Anniversary, Peter Obi said the day ought to be a day of celebration and thanksgiving to God Almighty for the gift of life and for the immense blessings he has bestowed on the nation, its diversity, its abundant human and natural resources, its vast agricultural potential and its relative absence of devastating natural disasters.

He said it should be a day of appreciation and patriotism, a day to remember founding fathers and all those who made selfless, and in many cases, supreme sacrifice for the birth, survival and growth of the dear nation, adding that efforts of the past and present leaders who have labored, however imperfectly, to build a better Nigeria must be acknowledged.

“Yet, independent anniversary must never be reduced to mere celebration. There are moments of earnest national reflection. We must look back and examine where we stand today and ask ourselves whether we are moving in the right direction our founding fathers envisioned,” he said.

He said in national planning and strategy, every serious nation must continually ask three fundamental questions: Where we are today? Where we want to be? How do we get to where we want to be? He said these questions are especially urgent now.

“Despite the enormous promises made by APC-led government in 2023, our nation continues to face deepening challenges across virtually every critical sector of national life. Today, we stand before the world as a nation with the highest number of people living in poverty and hardship, over 140 million, with the highest number of out-of-school children, over 18 million,” he said.

He said the country is one of the most terrorized and insecure countries with rampant banditry, kidnapping, noting that recently, 37 young people in their productive age were lost.

“We are a million stronger for hunger. We are now one of the hungriest countries in the world. 109, moved to 115 in recent times. With food organizations saying that by the end of this year, 40 million Nigerians will face extreme hunger. We have one of the worst infant mortality in the world today. Today, Nigeria is the worst place to be born. Our youth unemployment is the highest. Over 35 million youth are unemployed. We have one of the worst drug prevalence globally. Today, we are at 14%, where the global average is 6. We have one of the worst life expectancy, 54 years as against global average of 74,” Obi said.

He said the list goes on and that it demands serious and sober and honest reflection, adding that Socrates taught that unexamined life is not worth living and that by the same principle, an unexamined nation cannot successfully chart its future.

“We must therefore ask a fundamental question. Are we cursed? Or are we the cause? The answer cannot be that Nigerians are cursed. We are a nation immensely endured and blessed. Our greatest problem is not lack of resources. It is failure to convert the innermost resources into human development, productivity, security, and shared prosperity,” he said.

Obi disclosed that only yesterday, Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso and himself returned from a two-day visit to Sokoto State where they held extensive consultations with the people from different parts of the state on its security, out-of-school children, poverty, youth unemployment, drug abuse, and other challenges confronting the people.

He said in concluding that visit, they went to internally displaced persons camp in Ramin Kura within the Sokoto metropolis and what they saw was deeply troubling.

“Thousands of women and children live in the most deplorable conditions, displaced from their homes, deprived of basic necessities of life. Many of the children have no access to education. Mothers and children have limited access to basic health care. These are Nigerians who should be living in their communities, going to school, farming their land, conducting their businesses, and contributing to the economy. Instead, they live as displaced persons in their own country,” he said.

“I’ve always maintained, if one Nigerian lives in an IDP camp, the entire country is an IDP camp. What we saw in Ramingura is not an isolated story. It is a reflection of the suffering experienced in different parts of Nigeria today,” he added.

He said while other Nigerians struggle with these realities, the present government often behaves as if these problems belong to another country, stressing that the present political leaders have failed the country, and most importantly, have failed children.

He said his message is not one of despair but a message of hope, determination, and responsibility, daring to proclaim with full assurance that a new Nigeria is possible.

“As President of Nigeria, I will make governance measurable, accountable, and centered on the welfare of the people and productivity. Within the first one year, Nigerians will begin to see tangible impacts of purposeful and effective leadership in their life. We will confront insecurity decisively so that our farmers can return to their farms, our children can return to school, businesses can operate freely, and families can live without fear,” he said.

“No Nigerian will be forced to live in an IDP camp. And I’ve maintained, no Nigerian will be forced to live in an IDP camp. Those who live there today must return to their communities,” he said.

He promised to move from consumption to production economy to be able to create jobs, expand opportunities, support agriculture, manufacturing, invest in human capital and make Nigeria a country where young people can build meaningful lives.

He said he will prioritize education, healthcare, security, and productive enterprise because these are not luxuries but foundations of a functioning economy, especially healthcare, where he said there must be a functional primary care in the 8,809 wards, with about 10,000 functional primary care.

“As I’ve always done, I will lead by example. In four years as President of Nigeria, I will not spend my holidays outside Nigeria. My holidays, be it working holidays, will be spent in Zanfara State, Boronu State, Gwana State, Eboni State, Ekiti State, and other Nigerian states,” he said.

“I will continue to see Nigeria, know Nigeria, want to spend time with Nigerians, to listen to them, understand their challenges, and celebrate their resilience. We will build Nigeria that is secure, united, and productive. A Nigeria governed with competence and accountability.

“A Nigeria governed by peace and justice. A Nigeria where no child is denied education because of untold poverty or unbearable insecurity. Where no mother dies because they cannot access healthcare. Where farmers can return safely to their farms. Where young people can find opportunities to work and prosper. Where public resources are deployed strictly for public good,” he said.