Labour Party Presidential Candidate, Peter Obi, has explained what it will take to make Nigeria great by turning its brain drain into brain gain.
In a post via Twitter on Wednesday, Obi noted that even though the country’s outlook seems bleak, especially with the present state of insecurity ad parlous economy, things, he is certain that with Nigerians avid prayers and contributions in both human and material terms, Nigeria will recover.
According to him, It will take only one visionary leadership and disruptive thinker for Nigeria to be put back on the right trajectory.
“I know that with a robust diaspora support we can do it for Nigeria. As we explore ways and means of tapping in on technology transfer from the Diaspora, we will also explore ways of reversing the enormous brain drain that has been debilitating for our country,” he stated.
Obi pointed out that like India, Nigeria, should be able to tap her huge Diaspora human resource to ensure technology transfer home.
In his words: “We will trigger every known technological and knowledge transfer initiators. Nigeria’s brain drain will be turned into brain gain.”
In conclusion, Obi said he feels strongly and can safely assert that the “Active Engagement by Nigeria Diaspora in Capacity Building and Civic Leadership in Nigeria” is possible and desirable.
TheNewsGuru.com reports that Obi served as Governor of Anambra from March to November 2006, February to May 2007, and from June 2007 to March 2014.
In May 2022, he became the Labour Party candidate for President of Nigeria in the 2023 presidential election, after defecting from the PDP.
Obi’s presidential campaign has been described as populist and has been noted for its support among many young Nigerians, who have been nicknamed “Obi-dients”
The LP Presidential candidate was born in Onitsha in 1961 and graduated from the University of Nigeria in 1984.
Afterwards he entered business and banking, eventually rising to hold several high-ranking executive positions at banks.
By the early 2000s, Obi was the chairman of Fidelity Bank before leaving the position to enter politics. Obi ran for governor in 2003, as a member of the All Progressives Grand Alliance but his main opponent was unlawfully declared victor.
After three years of legal battles, Obi was declared winner in 2006 and assumed office in March, 2006.
He was then impeached that November before the impeachment was overturned and he returned to office in February 2007. Again,
Obi was removed when a new election was held in April 2007 but the judiciary intervened again and ruled that he should be allowed to complete a full four-year term.
In 2010, he won re-election to a second term. Obi’s terms were marked by improvements in state finances, education, and healthcare.
After leaving office in 2014, Obi gained new status as an advocate for good governance and national political figure after decamping to the Peoples Democratic Party in 2014.
In 2019, he was selected as the vice presidential nominee in the presidential election running alongside Atiku Abubakar, but lost to incumbent president Muhammadu Buhari and vice president Yemi Osinbajo.