The President of Nigeria’s Senate, Godswill Akpabio, has publicly criticised Peter Obi, the Labour Party’s presidential candidate in the 2023 election, for what he described as disrespectful comments made about the country’s past leaders.
Senator Akpabio voiced his disapproval on Thursday during a special session held in honour of the late Chief Edwin Clark, a prominent elder statesman from the Niger Delta region and former Federal Commissioner for Information.
The criticism comes a day after Mr. Obi, while paying tribute to Chief Clark, suggested that the sacrifices of Nigeria’s past heroes had been in vain due to the numerous challenges currently facing the nation, particularly economic difficulties.
Mr. Obi had said, “For someone like me who just participated in the 2023 general election, he (Clark) lived a life of courage, sacrifice, justice, and value. So why do we keep saying the labours of our heroes past should not be in vain? I’m happy that Jonathan is here. But I can tell you, their sacrifices are in vain. They have sacrificed for nothing. We were in this country when people protested when there was no need to protest under Goodluck Jonathan. Where are those protesters now? Have they disappeared? Jonathan increased fuel from N87 to N120, and people protested. Now that it’s N900, there are no protests. So again, why do we keep saying their labours should not be in vain?”
Responding to these remarks, Senator Akpabio asserted that Mr. Obi, whom he accused of being overly focused on his presidential ambitions, had failed to address the internal crisis within his own Labour Party.
“If you cannot even resolve the crisis within the Labour Party, is it Boko Haram’s crisis you’ll come and resolve in Nigeria?” Senator Akpabio questioned. He then highlighted his own achievements during his time in office, including infrastructure development and social programs.
He further took aim at Mr. Obi’s use of social media, saying, “But those aspiring to be presidential candidates, who use social media to cause division with their words — tell them to fix the small party they have before talking about a larger Nigeria. Social media is unregulated.”
The exchange highlights the ongoing political tensions in Nigeria, even during a session intended to honour a respected elder statesman.
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