Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe has re-ignited discussion over the leadership of Nigeria and said the country would have been better with Peter Obi, the 2023 presidential candidate of the Labour Party. In his recent scathing criticism, Abaribe accused President Bola Tinubu of worsening nepotism, citing his appointment of four ministers from Ogun State against the many other states that struggled with just one.
According to Abaribe, this favoritism mirrors the tendencies of former President Muhammadu Buhari but has worsened under Tinubu’s watch. The senator did not mince words, arguing that Obi’s presidency would have embraced inclusivity and fairness, qualities he claims are missing in Tinubu’s administration. Abaribe further lamented the South-East’s enduring marginalization, urging the region to take its destiny into its own hands rather than waiting for fairness from a government that appears indifferent to its plight.
On security matters, Abaribe hailed the arrest of Simon Ekpa, a Finland based agitator accused of fuelling violence in the South-East, as a win for peace. He maintained that releasing detained IPOB leader Nnamdi Kanu remained one of the sure ways to restore peace to the embattled region. The senator’s comment represents a sharp indictment of the current government and a very loud call for transformative leadership in Nigeria, a call which many are of the view has been long overdue.