The vice presidential Candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party in the 2019 elections, Peter Obi, has congratulated the representative of Abia South Senatorial District, Enyinnaya Abaribe, as he launched his autobiography: “Made in Aba.”
The book launch, which was held on Monday at the Musa Yar’Adua Centre, Abuja, witnessed a congregation of high profile people from different walks of life.
Giving his opening remark, Obi stated that he was at the ceremony in dual capacities.
He said: “I am here today as the representative of the presidential candidate of the PDP in the last elections, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, and then in my own capacity as the Chairman of the occasion.
“I am even more honoured to chair this event because of the personality involved, His Excellency, Distinguished Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe.”
Obi described Abaribe as a true legislator who exemplifies what a legislator is globally: “A lawmaker, a law preacher and a law defender.
“Enyinnaya Abaribe is courageous in speaking out when there is injustice, falsehood, marginalization and speaking truth to power, especially in a country where it is a grave offence to do so.”
Obi said he knows how it feels to be persecuted for speaking the truth.
He said: “I know this myself because I know what I go through when I speak out against the ills of government, especially the financial recklessness and political irresponsibility that has pervaded every part of our nation.
“Even this morning, in a conference, I disagreed with a position by another presenter who quoted NBS (Nigeria Bureau of Statistics) saying that the poverty line in Nigeria is estimated at N137,430 per person per year, therefore those who earn more than that are considered sufficient.
“We should, however, draw our own poverty line from the global standard of less than $1.90 per day also used other developing countries.
“By our official exchange rate, the global poverty line is about N900 per person per day, even though I peg it at N1,000 and N30,000 per person per month.”
Obi urged the government to implement measures that will combat the increasing poverty in the country, while calling on the leaders to speak out against the ills of the society especially against insecurity, banditry, increasing poverty, waste in governance.
