…Obi seeks better investment in children’s development
Ahead of the September, 2023 Edo gubernatorial election, supporters of Olumide Akpata, Labour party candidate, and those of Julius Abure, the party national chairman, clashed in Abuja on Monday.
BusinessDay gathered that the contingents from Edo had arrived in the early morning to protest against Abure’s handling of the campaigns and met strong resistance from Abure’s supporters
It took the intervention of security operatives to bring the situation under control.
Since the emergence of Akpata, the former president of the Nigeria Bar Association (NBA), as the LP candidate, in February, 2024, the party has continued to witness uneasy calm.
This is as several groups have continued to agitate for Abure’s removal as the party’s national chairman
Abure was arrested by the police in Benin, Edo State, while on ground for the party’s gubernatorial primaries that led to Akpata’s emergence.
But Peter Obi, the party’s presidential candidate in the 2023 general election, has continued to sue for peace among members of the party
Obi, in a statement to mark the 2024 Children’s Day, appealed for investment in the areas that promote the good of children.
Yunusa Tanko, the spokesman for Peter Obi, in a statement, urged government at all levels to channel their investment towards the development of children.
He described a situation where about four out of every ten Nigerian children is in child labour, as “unacceptable.”
Tanko, citing Obi message on his X handle on Monday, said “On this day, we celebrate Children’s Day, I rejoice with all the Nigerian children, for whose sake, we remain firmly committed in our struggle for a New Nigeria.
“This day which is set aside to celebrate the Nigerian child, presents us the opportunity to focus on our children – the future leaders of our society, and also reminds us of the need to invest in their growth; and support and nurture their dreams.
“Every Nigerian child deserves access to quality education, healthcare, and a safe and secure environment to live and thrive. We must, therefore invest in these key areas of development for their sake and the future of society.
“Sadly, the challenges of child labour persist in our Nigerian society today. A National Bureau of Statistics report states that 39.2 per cent of our children are in child labour and 22.9 per cent of children are involved in hazardous work.
“The reports further assert that four out of every ten children in Nigeria are trapped in child labour, therefore, putting the children and the future of society at risk. In tackling the challenges of child labour, we must focus on pulling more people out of poverty and ensuring the respect of the rights of every Nigerian child.”
