The presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, has said Nigeria must learn from its history and transform the tragedies of the past into opportunities for national development.
Obi made the remarks in a statement posted on his X account on Thursday, following reactions to his recent interview with Arise News, during which he was questioned about the 1966 coups and their historical impact on Nigeria.
The former Anambra State governor said he had received calls and messages from Nigerians who were unhappy that the issue was raised during the interview but insisted that, as a presidential candidate, he was prepared to answer questions on any issue concerning the country.
“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,” Obi said.
Reflecting on Nigeria’s history, Obi identified the 1966 coups, the civil war and episodes of mass violence across the country as national tragedies that, in his view, could have been prevented through stronger leadership and the just implementation of existing laws.
He argued that the failure of successive leaderships to guarantee equal rights and freedoms and enforce constitutional protections without discrimination contributed to the crises.
“These tragedies are the result of leadership failure. It is our responsibility to understand these failures and fix them,” he said.
Obi said Nigeria should not remain trapped by its painful history, arguing that historical mistakes could instead serve as lessons for national transformation.
“Mistakes in history are not fatal. They can become opportunities for transformation,” he said.
The NDC candidate cited Japan, South Korea and China as examples of countries that, according to him, transformed difficult historical experiences into strategies for economic development and national renewal.
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He also referenced Rwanda, saying Nigeria could learn from how the East African country has sought to use the memory of its tragic past to strengthen national unity and development.
For Obi, the responsibility of Nigeria’s next president should be to transform the pain and divisions of the past into a more united, stable and prosperous country.
He called for leadership that would focus on issues capable of uniting Nigerians rather than exploiting ethnic, religious and regional differences for political gain.
“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.
Obi further argued that every part of Nigeria possesses human and natural resources capable of contributing to national prosperity if properly harnessed.
He said his vision was to build a country where citizens would not suffer discrimination or disadvantage because of their ethnicity, religion or social background.
“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,” Obi said.
He stressed that Nigeria’s history would remain important but should not determine the country’s future.
“Our past is important, but our past is not our destiny. Our future is what we do with our past,” he said.
Obi concluded by describing the country’s history as a resource that could be harnessed for national renewal, saying, “Our past is our resource for national transformation. We are ready to transform Nigeria.”