The lawmaker representing Abia South in the Senate, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, has stated that Nigeria would have been in a better position if Peter Obi, the Labour Party candidate in the 2023 presidential election, had won the presidency.
Abaribe argued that the nepotism seen in President Bola Tinubu’s administration would not have occurred under Obi’s leadership.
He made these comments during an appearance on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Monday.
The lawmaker criticized President Tinubu’s alleged favoritism, particularly focusing on the appointment of four ministers from Ogun State, while many other states have only one representative in the cabinet.
He suggested that while former President Muhammadu Buhari exhibited similar tendencies, the situation has worsened under Tinubu, with fewer voices challenging such actions.
Abaribe further stressed the need for the Southeast region to take charge of its own development, rather than relying on the fairness of future presidents.
He noted that beyond former Presidents Olusegun Obasanjo and Goodluck Jonathan, no other leader had fully addressed the needs of the Southeast, and waiting for such fairness was no longer an option.
The senator stressed that if Peter Obi had won, Nigeria would have likely experienced a better governance style, highlighting Obi’s character as less inclined toward nepotism.
“If Peter Obi had won, you probably would have seen a better Nigeria than what we are seeing today.
“Number one, he would not be as nepotistic as this government, he won’t, it’s not in him. That is just who we are, we feel for the other people,” Abaribe said.
