With Tinubu all set to be sworn-in on the 29th, it may be an idea for Peter Obi to do an Al Gore and invest his energy in an environmental projects
Ayo Akinfe
[1] Whatever candidate anyone might have supported in Nigeria’s last election, the fact remains that on the 29th of this month, Bola Tinubu is going to assume office. Win or lose, the election tribunal is going to deliver a verdict for at least two months.
[2] If you ask me, Peter Obi will be well advised to come up with a project similar to Al Gore’s Climate Reality Project. For those saying Obi should fight to the last minute, how is he expected to govern Nigeria with just six Labour Party senators, 34 members of the House of Reps and one governor?
[3] After losing the US presidential elections, Al Gore founded the Climate Reality Project in 2005. It is a non-profit organisation devoted to solving the climate crisis. I would advice Peter Obi to do something similar centred around the River Niger
[4] For instance, Peter Obi now has the clout to attract global investors to build hydro-electric power plants at Uguozala, Ebu, Illah, Asaba, Onitsha, Nzam and Atani on the banks of the River Niger that will generate at least 50,000MW of electricity
[5] I think he should float a holding company that will among other things build six River Niger crossings. Each crossing will be at least four lanes wide
[6] This holding company should also construct Nigeria’s first underwater tunnel, building a 1km tunnel between Asaba and Onitsha
[7] It should also construct at least two railway river crossings, with one linking Illah and Nzam and another linking Asaba and Onitsha
[8] If an underwater tennis stadium is being built in Dubai, why can’t Peter Obi build Africa’s first underwater restaurant at Illah. This restaurant should be made of see-through glass
[9] Peter Obi’s holding company should also dredge the River Niger up to Onitsha and Asaba, enabling large Panamax ships to sail upstream. The aim should be to create Africa’s largest inland cargo port at Onitsha
[10] For me, this would be a very judicious use of Peter Obi’s energy over the next four years. Just think of the economic impact such a programme would have and the number of jobs it would create. Do you know that Al Gorw made $300m from his environmental initiative?
