Founder and Chancellor of Afe Babalola University, Ado Ekiti, Chief Afe Babalola (SAN) has said that the presidential candidate of the Labour Party, (LP), Mr Peter Obi is the most qualified person to succeed President Muhammadu Buhari.

The foremost legal luminary was however worried that the presidential election will be won by the highest spender and not the best candidates among the contenders.

He said the only people opposed to Obi are those who participated in plunging the country into the state of underdevelopment it is at present.

He further expressed worry that the 2023 general elections will be conducted under the 1999 constitution against his advice, saying the poll will only reproduce those, who have brought Nigeria to a sordid state.

He said, “It is not who can make a difference that will win this election, I repeat, it is not the person who has all it takes – age, health, education, and patriotism, that will win the election; the winner of this election I can bet it, is going to be the person who has made money in this country.

“Unless you are part of the old system that has brought us to where we are, there is no way you will oppose a young man like Mr Peter Obi, an untainted, young, educated man with ideas from being the president of Nigeria,” he said.

Babalola, who will mark 60 years of his call to Bar as a lawyer this year said he and Obi share a common passion in their love for quality education.

“We have a common ground, and that common ground is that he will give education a rightful place in his administration.

“Unlike all of you, I never had a conventional education, I never went to secondary school, or university but due to determination and courage I endured.

“I studied privately through correspondence and obtained my A Level by correspondence, passed the entrance into university by correspondence.

“But for education I would not be where I am today and that is why by the grace of God after a successful practice, I am what I am today.

“I will celebrate 60 years of my call to Bar this year and by the grace of god, peter obi will be there. He is the most qualified to lead this country”, Afe Babalola said.

It’s only a new constitution with stringent conditions for political candidates, will save Nigeria from a total collapse.

Babalola added, “A man who wants to rule the whole country or any part of the country, ought to be screened. Has he ever worked before, what type of work did he do, did he steal there, was he a good manager, does he pay his taxes regularly, what contributions has he made to society?

“You cannot just come from nowhere and become president, become governor, become member of house; these are transactional business men.

“I still stand by my suggestion that any election conducted under the present 1999 Constitution cannot and will not produce new leaders with new ideas, rather any election conducted with the 1999 Constitution will merely result in recycling people who have brought Nigeria to grinding poverty, unemployment, under-funded education, and insecurity,” he said.

StreetReporters.ng

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