The Northern Awareness Network has slammed the 2023 presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi, over his comments on South African elections.
In a post via his X handle on Saturday, the former Anambra State governor said the disparities in the electoral procedures of both nations are regrettable and a reflection of Nigeria’s ongoing struggles with democratic governance.
The northern group, in a statement by its chairman, Salihu Suleiman, said the two African countries have a different political histories and contexts, making Obi’s comparison fallacious.
“South Africa has a long history of democracy, having gone through significant political reform and transformation over several decades of practice. On the other hand, Nigeria only transitioned to democracy in 1999 after years of military rule,” explained Suleiman.
“Peter Obi’s attempt to compare the electoral processes of South Africa and Nigeria is quite ridiculous.
“The two countries are at different stages of democratic development, and it would be more prudent to focus on addressing the specific challenges facing the Nigerian electoral system rather than drawing unwarranted comparisons,” he said.
The group argued that Nigeria’s democracy is in its infancy, compared to South Africa’s more matured democracy.
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