Peter Obi explains his obsession with China

After the vice presidential debate of December 14, 2018, Peter Obi who is Atiku Abubakar’s running mate ahead of the presidential vote of February 16, 2019, was the butt of jokes from the APC fan base for the number of times he mentioned China on the podium.

The memes and GIFS soon followed and Obi was even handed a Chinese name for full measure.

Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo (right), at the Vice Presidential Debate with vice presidential candidate of the People's Democratic Party (PDP), Peter Obi (left) --ChannelsTV Punch

There is hardly a Peter Obi interview—whether in the print or electronic media—where he doesn’t cite China as an example Nigeria has to follow if leadership is serious about reviving the nation’s flailing economy.

During a leadership summit with young Nigerians in Yaba, Lagos on Friday, January 11, 2019, Obi announced that his love for China isn’t about to wane.

“I always use China as example because we were better than China (in most economic indices) a few years ago. I can’t compare Nigeria with America because they are light years ahead of everyone. But where was China in the '60s and now? Where were we in the '60s and now? We are borrowing and borrowing, but where is the money going to? What are we doing with all this borrowing?”, Obi asked.

Taking on the Buhari administration

Obi also added that the infrastructure projects the Buhari administration points to whenever the question of borrowing is posed, isn’t commensurate with the volume of borrowing in itself.

Obi also laughed off 'Tradermoni'—a petty loan scheme to small scale businesses as initiated and touted by the Buhari administration.

“Our administration will create jobs by supporting SMEs (Small and Medium Enterprises) and it will be revolutionary. I am not talking about giving people N10,000”, he scoffed.

Atiku settles for Peter Obi as running mate in October of 2018 (Atiku media organisation) ece-auto-gen

Obi also laughed off the federal government’s claims that it has improved the ease of doing business.

“What is more proof of state of 'Ease of Doing Business' than the trailers parked on the Apapa-Ikorodu road or the gridlock at the Lagos ports? A presidential task force headed by the vice president was even put together to remove trailers!! Imagine! And that still didn’t work. A presidential task force to remove trailers? The kind of things we just hear and wonder”, Obi said.

There are over 70 presidential candidates in the race to unseat incumbent President Buhari. Atiku, Oby Ezekwesili, Fela Durotoye, Kingsley Moghalu, Buhari and Omoyele Sowore are the front-line candidates for the presidency ahead of the general elections.