NDC Presidential candidate, Peter Obi
Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has called on Nigerians to see the country’s painful history as an opportunity to build a united, peaceful and prosperous nation rather than remain divided by past events.
Obi made the remarks in a statement posted on Thursday on his official X account while reacting to public discussions that followed an interview in which he was asked about the 1966 coups.
According to him, many Nigerians had contacted him to express displeasure that an Arise News anchor questioned him about the tragic events of 1966.
“I have received many calls and text messages from patriotic Nigerians who were annoyed that an Arise News anchor wanted me to answer questions about the 1966 coups, which were national tragedies,” Obi said.
The former Anambra State governor, however, insisted that he has nothing to hide from Nigerians and is prepared to answer questions on every issue concerning the country.
“I reassured those patriots that, as a presidential candidate, I am ready and able to answer any questions about anything relating to Nigeria. I have a commitment to serve the people, not to hide from them,” he stated.
Reflecting on his engagements with Nigerians across the country, Obi said he had thought deeply about the 1966 coups, the Nigerian Civil War and other violent conflicts that have affected different parts of the nation.
He argued that many of the country’s tragedies were caused by poor leadership and the failure to uphold justice, equality and constitutional rights.
“My view is that we could have avoided these tragedies if we had entrenched and implemented laws justly. These tragedies are the result of leadership failure. It is our responsibility to understand these failures and fix them,” he said.
Obi maintained that Nigeria should focus on learning from history instead of allowing past mistakes to continue shaping its future.
“We must focus on learning from our past. Mistakes in history are not fatal. They can become opportunities for transformation,” he added.
Drawing examples from countries such as Japan, South Korea, China and Rwanda, Obi said those nations transformed painful historical experiences into foundations for national development, unity and economic growth.
He stressed that Nigeria could also chart a similar path if leaders placed national interest above personal ambition.
“For me, my responsibility as Nigerian President is to turn the pains and tragedies of the past into opportunities to make Nigeria united, stable, and prosperous,” Obi said.
He further called for leadership that promotes unity rather than division, saying every part of Nigeria possesses abundant human and natural resources capable of driving national prosperity.
“We need a leadership that is not trapped in the past, a leadership that focuses on what binds us together rather than what divides us,” he said.
According to Obi, true leadership is measured by the ability to convert difficult moments into lasting progress for all citizens.
“I am ready to speak about what the voters consider important. I am ready to comfort and console. I am ready to lead from the front as we work to turn away from the ugly past and into a future where no Nigerian will suffer on account of his or her ethnicity, religion, or social pedigree.”
He concluded by urging Nigerians to embrace hope and work collectively towards a better future.
“Our past is important, but our past is not our destiny. Our future is what we do with our past. Our past is our resource for national transformation. We are ready to transform Nigeria.
“A New Nigeria is POssible.”
