Nigeria is in a mess and near collapse,  Peter Obi, Labour Party’s presidential candidate said, while admitting Nigeria’s problems “cannot be solved overnight.”

“If we have a leader that is competent, have the capacity, and commitment to deal with it, no one will solve it overnight,” Mr Obi told CNN in an interview on Friday night.

He added that “but there will be a clear, visible, measurable attempts to dealing with it. And they are things that are solvable. There are things they can be dealt decisively.”

Mr Obi made this statement when asked if a leader can solve the myriad of challenges confronting the country, ranking from insecurity to corruption, oil theft and fiscal issues.

Speaking further, he said “Nigeria is not just in a physical mess; it is at the last stage to collapsing.”

A former Anambra governor, Mr Obi has garnered huge support and followership among Nigerians who see him as a better alternative to other candidates since he acquired Labour Party’s  presidential ticket for the 2023 election.

Mr Obi is standing against veteran politicians like Atiku Abubakar of opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and ruling APC’s Bola Tinubu for Nigeria’s top job come next year.