Peter Obi spent Christmas Day with Abegena IDPs on the outskirts of Makurd


Peter Obi, the Labour Party’s (LP) presidential candidate, spent Christmas Day with Abegena IDPs on the outskirts of Makurdi, the capital of Benue State, and gave N3 million toward their maintenance.

In his remarks to the refugees, Mr. Obi said that Nigerians had no business living in IDP camps and he urged the Federal Government to take immediate action to make their ancestral homes livable and to arrange for their relocation.

He declared:

“I have made the decision to spend today with IDP camp residents in Kogi and Benue. People from Nigeria shouldn’t be residing in camps there. “So I am appealing to the Federal Government to do whatever it takes to ensure that Nigerians don’t live as refugees in their country.

“I assure you, that the next government, as we progress, we will ensure that this does not continue. Today, we are here just to tell you to remain faithful, remain prayerful, put all your hope in God.

“What you are passing through is what Nigeria is passing through. What affects you affects everyone in Nigeria. We cannot say we are doing well when you are here. “As long as you remain here, Nigeria is not doing well. It is when you leave and you are in your homes, farming and doing what you are supposed to do to help Nigeria become productive that we will be proud to say we are Nigerians.

“As long as you remain in IDPs camp, Nigeria is in IDP camp. So I have come here to celebrate with you. I am pained that Nigerians are in camp. You are in camp and we are also in camp because if you were in your homes today, I would have been in my home but since you are here, we can’t continue to celebrate and that is why I said Nigeria is in camp. This is what we portray as a country.”

Over 10,000 internally displaced persons (IDPs) stay in the camp, according to Emmanuel Shior, the executive secretary of the Benue State Emergency Management Agency, SEMA, who accompanied the presidential candidate there. He praised Mr. Obi for the act, pointing out that it came as a result of an earlier conversation with the IDPs, who claimed they needed financial support. He said:

“You are the first of the Presidential aspirants to visit our IDPs. The Presidential candidate visited the Daudu 1 IDPs lately to support the victims. As we approach the 2023 election, we will continue to pray for you and beg God to grant you the ability to realize your goals.


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