Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has expressed concern over the outcome of Nigeria’s 2023 general election.
Obasanjo said the outcome of the general election has made Nigeria more divided than ever before.
He stated this while speaking at a conference in Abuja on Thursday, themed “From Elections to Governance and Performance,” organized by Nextier and the Ibadan School of Governance and Public Policy.
He described the election outcome as a “sickening show of shame” and urged the incoming administration to put measures in place that would foster national reconciliation.
The former president stressed that the country needed to be rescued from its “launch into dystopia,” and only a common vision could make that possible.
He emphasized that efforts are required to address national moral rearmament and national reconciliation for aggrieved parties, especially youth.
These steps should be taken in sync with the imperative of national value orientation that Nigeria requires to build a collective sense of enduring local values and national belonging.
“Given what we saw during the election, Nigeria is now even more divided and more corroded than we thought.
“This places a deep onus on any administration following the current one, to urgently facilitate the process of national moral rearmament and national reconciliation for the aggrieved and will lead us across Nigeria and to assuage the youth,” Obasanjo said.
“This must be done in sync with the imperative of national value orientation that Nigeria requires to build a collective sense of enduring and local values and national belonging.
“Let me conclude by stating clearly that I am now too old to keep quiet and watch Nigeria’s seemingly clueless launch into dystopia.
“All efforts are now required from all committed patriots to rescue the nation from the precipice. And when I look at the audience I have a feeling that among the people who can do it and who must do it are some of you here.
“It has become my own personal obligation, continuing in my relentless service as a letterman, dedicated in my twilight years to say the truth, as I see it, so as to push Nigeria in the direction of our collective aspirations.
“What is our collective aspiration? A better society where all Nigerians can become what the Almighty God destined [them] to be.
“At times like this, some of us have to adopt the attitude of being known to be blind and not being afraid of the dark. But we must continue to work for the light of all.”
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