Friday, February 21, 2025 - The Presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in the 2023 election, Peter Obi, has said that Nigeria is currently worse off when compared to the late ’80s and early ’90s.
Obi shared this opinion on X after in Abuja on Thursday, February 20,
after attending the launch of ‘A Journey in Service’, an autobiography by
Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida (IBB), Nigeria’s military president from 1985 to
1993.
Obi praised IBB for his contributions to Nigeria’s economy, adding that
the former president played a major role in the development of the nation’s
financial sector. He wrote;
‘’ IBB’s contributions to Nigeria’s economy and his strong support for
entrepreneurship and private sector growth remain immeasurable
Under his leadership, Nigeria witnessed substantial growth, particularly
in the financial sector. He played a key role in fostering a united and
equitable Nigeria, and economic landscape, ensuring policies that strengthened
national cohesion and economic development.
Documenting such experiences is a welcome development, as it allows us
to learn from those who have served and left a lasting impact on the nation. I
look forward to reading this book, which undoubtedly holds valuable lessons. As
someone committed to continuous learning, I will always align myself with
knowledge drawn from documented experiences and historical records as well as
contributing to the legacy library.
Two Key Takeaways from the Keynote Address and IBB comment on the 1993
election.
1. The 1st is the keynote Speaker's notable quotation in French,
"Rien n’a changé" meaning "Nothing much has changed." In
the case of Nigeria, we are worse off than we were during IBB’s era. Using our
contemporary peers as a benchmark, when IBB left office in 1992, countries like
Bangladesh, India, Vietnam, and Ghana were all in the low Human Development
Index (HDI) category—just like Nigeria. Today, however, these nations have
advanced to medium and high HDI levels, while Nigeria remains in the low HDI
category, having either stagnated or declined.
2. The Keynote speaker's comment that Ghana has remained a truly
democratic country for the past 30 years, with leadership transitions that
reflect the genuine votes of the people. Unlike Nigeria, where electoral
outcomes often fail to reflect the people’s will, Ghana has witnessed instances
where ruling party candidates conceded defeat, respecting democracy in its
truest form.
Lastly of the most profound moments of the event was IBB’s admission
that Chief MKO Abiola won the June 12 election. This acknowledgement is a step
toward national healing, unity and progress of our nation.
I hope that one day, other key players in Nigeria’s democracy will find
the courage to recognize the true winners of past elections, allowing our
nation to tell its story with honesty and reflection.
A New Nigeria is POssible!''
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