The University of Nigeria campus in Nsukka, Enugu state was shut down on Thursday by students who met Peter Obi, the presidential candidate for the Labour Party.
Peter Obi exhorts students to vote carefully and join the effort to free Nigeria from poverty, unemployment, and inadequate financing for education.
The presidential candidate, who is now visiting Enugu as part of his campaign, stopped at Nsukka, where the entire student body and faculty turned out in support of their idol.
All other operations came to a halt as a huge crowd surrounded Obi’s convoy and followed him as he spoke to the gathering at the Magaret Ekpo Refectory.
A mammoth crowd also received the Presidential candidate in Enugu as commercial and business activities were shut down.
Our correspondent reports that security agencies had a tough time controlling the crowd that trooped out to receive Obi in Enugu
Speaking at UNN Nsukka Campus, Obi said the purpose of the visit was to inform students of his ambition and solicit for their votes in the forthcoming general election.
His words: “As an alumnus of the great university, I am here to solicit for your votes in the forthcoming general election so that you can join hands with LP to rescue Nigeria.
“Ensure you have your Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) which is your constitutional instrument to vote me into power so that we can better Nigeria and remove it from consuming nation to producing nation,” he said.
The LP presidential candidate assured Nigerian students that if elected his administration would put to an end to the incessant Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) strike in the country.
He said that, incessant strike in public universities was responsible for students spending more than their course years .
“If I’m elected as president in February 25 election, that will not only mark an end to poverty,,unemployment and corruption.
“But it will also end ASUU strike in Nigeria, all hands must be on deck to recover our country from bad leadership,”
“My administration will give priority to education being engine room for development, since no country can develop more that its level of education,” he said.
Obi urged students to disregard some political parties saying that LP had no structure, explaining that “those who boost of having structures only have structures for looting public funds, corruption, impunity and ASUU strike
“Our mission is to rescue Nigeria from those who have hijacked the leadership of this country.
” You and all who believe that with good leadership Nigeria can work again are our structures,” he said.
In his address, Michael Abuchi, President, UNN Student Union Government,described Obi as a Super Lion who had done the university proud as governor of Anambra State as well as all positions held.
“UNN students are proud of you and are ready to give you our massive support to ensure that you are elected in next month general election.
” Your coming today to interact with the students is an eloquent testimony of the volume of love you have for students who are feature leaders.
“We will not take you visit today for granted, your visit has encouraged and given us sense of belonging.
” On behalf of UNN students I promised you that, on 25 February we will come out en mass to vote you to victory so that ASUU strike in public universities will end and Nigeria will be better again ,” he said.
Obi speech was intermittently interrupted by cheers and shouts of “Obi our next president, “Obi our next president”.
Chief Kenneth Okonkwo, LP Presidential spokesman, Chief Okey Ezea, LP Senatorial Candidate in Enugu North District and Chief Chidi Obetta Candidate for Nsukka/Igboeze-South Federal constituency were among party chieftains present at the event.
