The Labour Party presidential candidate in the 2023 election, Peter Obi, has called on leaders from the northern part of the country to invest in education to solve the myriad of challenges facing the region, including poverty.

This is contained in a statement issued by Peter Obi media reports spokesman, Ibrahim Umar, on Sunday in Abuja.

Mr Umar quoted Mr Obi as stating this while addressing a cross-section of northern leaders under the aegis of National Political Consultative Group.

According to him, northern Nigeria is a huge asset to the country.

The former presidential candidate told the leaders, including former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar, that the high rate of crimes and insecurity in the north was a direct consequence of poverty.

He stated the North had, in the past, voted on the bases of religion and ethnicity, adding that it was time for the region to consider competence and capacity.

He also underscored the importance of trust among Nigerians to be able to tackle the various challenges confronting the country, away from ethnic and religious sentiments.

Earlier, a former attorney-general and minister of justice, Abubakar Malami, had bemoaned the security situation in the north, stressing the urgent need to rescue the region.

 (NAN)