Labour Party presidential candidate in the 2023 elections, Peter Obi, said based on the harsh conditions of living in Nigeria, the country is like an open prison and many citizens are trapped.
Obi said in a statement posted on his X page on Sunday after visiting the Onitsha Correctional Centre that there was a need to free Nigerians from this prison by doing what is right in national development.
“Today, I spent part of my Easter celebration at the Onitsha Correctional Centre, where I joined the Archbishop of Onitsha Catholic Archdiocese, His Grace, Most Rev Valerian Okeke, to mark the Easter Celebrations mass with the inmates.
“In interacting with the inmates, I reminded them that we are all prisoners in our nation, and we all need to seek mercy and help from God.
“With all the challenges our nation is facing on every front, every Nigerian needs to pray for, and above all, work for their freedom by doing what is right and contributing to our national development.
“I urged the inmates who were uplifted by the homily message of the Archbishop and our presence not to be dispirited by their present condition, but to leverage their stay in the correctional center to better their lives, develop their skills, and commit to doing what is right so that they can make meaningful contributions to society at the end.
“I appreciated Archbishop Okeke for his immense contributions to the well-being of humanity, particularly his huge contribution to the inmates,especially the Skill Centre he set up for them, by which they can develop their skills and become more productive.
“I also thanked the Controller of Prisons, Anambra Command, and the Deputy Controller of Corrections in charge of Onitsha Prisons, Sunday Igwe,and all their teams for their good work in keeping the inmates safe. I also thanked the Controller of Prisons, Anambra Command, and the Deputy Controller of Corrections in charge of Onitsha Prisons, Sunday Igwe, and all their teams for their good work in keeping the inmates safe. It is my earnest prayer that God will set us all free from our various challenges as we journey towards the New Nigeria.”
