Bauchi State Governor and Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party Governors’ Forum, Bala Mohammed, has expressed his readiness to collaborate with the Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate, Peter Obi, to strengthen opposition politics in Nigeria.

Speaking on Thursday after a closed-door meeting with Obi at the Government House, Bauchi, Mohammed said he and the PDP admired Obi’s political style and vision for the country.

“We have a lot of respect and admiration for him because of his style of politics, statesmanship, versatile nature, and deep knowledge of the economy and governance,” Mohammed said.

He added, “Peter Obi has a clear vision of where politics and politicians should be in bringing good governance, impacting the people, and uniting the country. It is always a delight to listen to him because of his deep knowledge and mastery of statistics.”

The governor further revealed that his meeting with Obi was not the first, as they had met previously in Abuja.

He disclosed that discussions covered a range of national issues, including political challenges in Rivers State and the state of the opposition in Nigeria.

“I appreciate what he is doing as a leader of the opposition because, whether we like it or not, he is now the face of opposition politics in Nigeria,” he said.

Mohammed also stressed his commitment to working with Obi to “close ranks” and provide a strong and knowledgeable opposition to the ruling party.

He stated, “I want to say I am ready to work with Peter Obi. We must unite to bring good governance, offer a vibrant opposition with vision and strategy, and rescue this country from mediocrities parading themselves as leaders.

“The time has come for us to step out and act with sincerity and focus. Our coming together is a message that will resonate because my fellow governors support this kind of alliance.”

Earlier, Obi said his visit to Mohammed was part of wider consultations addressing Nigeria’s current challenges.

“Nigerians may wonder why I am here, but I have come to consult with him because he is a critical stakeholder in Nigerian politics,” Obi explained.

He noted that the nation’s state required him to seek discussions with key leaders, particularly from the North.

“All of you know where we are today as a country. We must talk about the issues affecting the North because the North is a critical component in getting Nigeria on the right path,” he said.

Obi also emphasised that tackling poverty was key to addressing insecurity.

“When people talk about criminality in Nigeria, especially in the North, I tell them the real issue is poverty. Until we address poverty, we cannot solve criminality,” he asserted.

According to Obi, Nigeria must invest in education and agriculture to lift millions out of poverty and reduce crime.

“But look at what dominates our political discourse today—budget padding, sexual harassment—while Nigerians are hungry. We need to discuss hunger, poverty, education, and healthcare,” he added.

Obi concluded by stating that his discussions with Mohammed were just beginning and that he hoped to continue engaging in discussions on the future of Nigeria.

For 50 Years, Nigeria Spent Money Of Unborn Generations- Tinubu

President Bola Tinubu articulated on Thursday the rationale behind his administration’s economic reforms, saying the primary motive was protecting the interests of future generations.

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“For 50 years, Nigeria was spending money of generations yet unborn and servicing the West coast of our subregion with fuel. It was getting difficult to plan for our children’s future,” he said.

According to a statement by his spokesman, Bayo Onanuga, he made these remarks at the State House in Abuja while receiving a delegation of former National Assembly colleagues from the aborted Third Republic, during which he served as a Senator representing Lagos West.

The President highlighted the challenges faced at the beginning of his administration, especially economic and social issues, and expressed his gratitude for the delegation’s support in addressing these difficulties:

“We faced serious headwinds when I took over, very challenging times. Nigeria would have been bankrupt if we had not taken the actions that we took, and we had to prevent the economy’s collapse.

President Tinubu declared that the administration had been able to stem the tide and expressed appreciation to Nigerians for their collective support in turning things around.

“Today, we are sitting pretty on a good foundation. We have reversed the problem; the Exchange rate is stabilising. Food prices are coming down, especially during Ramadan. We will have light at the end of the tunnel.”

He said firm adherence to democratic tenets is the best economic, social, and political development route.

“I am happy that you are holding to your belief in democracy. I thank you for keeping faith and remembering how we started. Some people missed the ball.

“Some leadership failed, but we kept the faith with our democratic beliefs and freedom and the right to aspire to the highest office in the land. I am benefiting from it.”

Senator Emmanuel Chiedoziem Nwaka, who spoke on behalf of the group, expressed his delight at some of the programmes that the Tinubu administration had implemented, especially the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) and the Nigerian Consumer Credit Corporation (CREDICORP) and at what the two organisations were offering Nigerians.

“I appreciate you for what you are giving to students because the student population is the largest demographic in the country. I’ve spoken with many of them, and many have benefited from it.

“And the next one is the CREDICORP. That’s a major way of fighting corruption. You see a young man, you come out of school, you want to buy a car, you have to put down cash, you want to buy a house, and you are not married, but with the CREDICORP, you can get things done. I’m following their activities; we are delighted,” he said.

Other delegation members were Sen. Bako Aufara Musa, Hon. Terwase Orbunde, Hon. Wasiu Logun, Hon. Amina Aliyu, High Chief Obi Anoliefo and Hon. Eze Nwauwa.