Obi Gives $3 Million To Idps In Benue And Claims Nigerians Shouldn’t Be Living Like Refugees.
Peter Obi, the presidential candidate for the Labour Party (LP), criticized the continued presence of Nigerians in IDP camps, stating that locals shouldn’t be made to live there as refugees.
In order to spend Christmas with the IDP camp inmates in Abagana, Makurdi Local Government Area, Obi traveled to Benue State yesterday.
The LP presidential candidate, who gave the IDPs a donation of N3 million, stated:
“I made the decision to spend today with IDP camp residents in Kogi and Benue. People from Nigeria shouldn’t be living in camps there.
“Therefore, I am pleading with the Federal Government to do all it takes to prevent Nigerians from living as refugees in their own.
“I can tell you that the next administration will take steps to prevent this from happening in the future. We’re only here to encourage you to retain your faith, keep praying, and put your whole trust in God.
“Nigeria is going through what you are going through. All people are affected by what you do. When you are here, we cannot claim that things are going well.
“Nigeria is not going well as long as you are here. Nigeria won’t be able to be proud to declare that we are Nigerian until after you have left and are back in your homes, farming, and carrying out your assigned duties to assist Nigeria become fruitful.
Nigeria will continue to be an IDP camp as long as you are there. I’ve come here to rejoice with you as a result. That Nigerians are housed in camps pains me. You are in camp, and we are too, since we can’t continue to rejoice if you are here. If you were at home today, I would have been at home. This is how we present ourselves as a nation.
In response, Emmanuel Shior, Executive Secretary of the Benue State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), thanked Obi for his display of support for the IDPs in Benue and said that the state would continue to pray for him as he traveled the nation to canvass for votes.
During his recent visit to the region, Obi visited Daudu 1 and gave them aid supplies.
Shior appealed to God to give him his dreams to lead the nation as he praised Obi for spending Christmas with the IDPs and for inspiring and bringing hope to the more than 10,000 IDPs staying at the Abagana camp.
