Nigeria worse off than during IBB’s era – Peter Obi

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According to Peter Obi, the Labour Party’s (LP) presidential candidate in the 2023 election, Nigeria is in worse shape than it was in the late 1980s and early 1990s.

Obi made this statement on Thursday following his attendance at the book launch of Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida’s (IBB), the former military president who served from 1985 to 1993, memoirs, “A Journey in Service.”

“The first (takeaway) 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,” he said on X.

“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.”

The former governor of Anambra State praised IBB for his economic accomplishments to the country, emphasizing that the former president was instrumental in the growth of the financial industry in the country.

“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,” Obi stated.

For the past 30 years, Ghana has maintained its status as a really democratic nation, with leadership changes that accurately reflect popular votes, according to the LP chieftain.

He argued that “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.”

Obi also praised IBB for acknowledging that MKO Abiola of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) won the June 12, 1993, presidential election.

“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,” he said.

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