The Northern Awareness Network has tackled the 2023 presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi, over his comments on South African elections.
Obi had said the recent election in South Africa is a shining example of what a transparent process should look like.
In a post via 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.
However, the northern group, in a statement by its chairman, Salihu Suleiman, said the two nations have vastly different political histories and contexts, making any such comparisons by Obi misleading.
“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.
According to him, Obi’s attempt to juxtapose the electoral experiences of the two countries demonstrates a lack of understanding of their respective political landscapes.
“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 explained that the Nigerian electoral system is still in its infancy and that comparing it to South Africa’s more mature democracy is not only inaccurate but also unfair to the people of Nigeria, who have been working diligently to build a functioning democracy.