Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe has expressed his belief that Nigeria would have fared better if Peter Obi, the Labour Party candidate in the 2023 presidential election, had emerged victorious.
Speaking during an interview on Channels Television's Politics Today on Monday, Abaribe, who represents Abia South in the Senate, criticised what he described as nepotism under President Bola Tinubu's administration, asserting that such tendencies would have been absent under an Obi presidency.
"If Peter Obi had won, you probably would have seen a better Nigeria than what we are seeing today,"
Abaribe stated. "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."
To support his claims, Abaribe questioned the President's decision to appoint four ministers from Ogun State while many other states have just one representative, describing it as an example of entrenched favoritism.
He argued that the issue of nepotism, which existed during former President Muhammadu Buhari's administration, has worsened under Tinubu.
"Buhari towed the path of nepotism, but it deepened under President Tinubu because Buhari did it and nobody said much except him," Abaribe said.
The Senator also called for a shift in focus among the people of the South-East.
He emphasised the need for the region to prioritize self-development rather than relying on federal leadership for fairness.
According to him, apart from former Presidents Olusegun Obasanjo and Goodluck Jonathan, no other Nigerian president has treated the South-East equitably.
"Let us go back to the South East and revamp it, make it more livable, better, and more cohesive, and hold ourselves together," Abaribe said.
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