The presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in the 2023 presidential election, Peter Obi, has said that Nigeria has failed the Niger-Delta region and Bayelsa State with the level of underdevelopment and poverty 67 years after oil was found in the area.

Peter Obi made the comment during a town hall meeting of Labour Party’s stakeholders in Yenagoa on Tuesday to present the flag to the gubernatorial candidate of the party.

He said a place where oil was first found is still underdeveloped and smells of poverty, adding that Bayelsa is not supposed to be on the list of poor states considering what God endowed them with.

Obi said, “In a state where oil was first discovered, and after 67 years, you still can’t drive on good roads. After Sokoto, known as the poorest state with a 90.5 percent poverty rate, Bayelsa is at 88.5 percent. Bayelsa is not supposed to be on the list of poor states, considering what God endowed them with. It is the product of bad leadership, and that is what we are trying to change.”

“We want a new Bayelsa where those who come to serve know it’s service to the people. And also use the people’s money for public good. That is the only way to pull the people out of poverty. We can’t achieve that with people stealing and mismanaging funds.

“The future belongs to the youths and you must support someone who believes in you. We need to move from consumption to production. It is through production that jobs will be provided. Small businesses will be supported, which is the future of the world and Bayelsa.

“Carry our message everywhere; we want people who will create wealth and not those who will keep sharing and sharing everything.

“Go and verify what our candidate has said. One of the things we lack in our country today as a people is that we choose not to verify the things we were told during campaigns. That is what we need to do, and by doing that, we will know what the future holds.”

According to the governorship candidate of the Labour Party, Engr. Udengs Eradiri, manifesto, christened “PEAP Agenda,” is what would solve the challenges of the people of the state.

He added that in every structure of government, the people are the most important.

He said, “We don’t need foreigners to solve our problems; we can solve our problems by ourselves if we look inward.”

He promised to prioritise building the capacity of the people of the state when voted into power.

On the provision of portable water, Udengs said the water will be obtained directly from the river source, processed, and reticulated to houses in the state. He added that medical tourism will be discouraged, and scholarships will be provided for medical students who return to train others in the state for better healthcare service.

In his brief, the National Chairman of the party, Barr. Julius Abure, appealed to Bayelsans to stand by a man who knows their problems and has them at heart.

He urged them to come out en masse during the election and vote out irresponsible governments that are only good at looting the common good of the people.