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Peter Obi Urges Nigerians to Uphold Human Rights and Embrace Unity on Human Rights Day
Peter Obi, the former presidential candidate of the Labour Party, took to his X handle on Tuesday to mark Human Rights Day, adding his voice to the global call for the protection of fundamental human rights.
His message, following his participation in International Anti-Corruption Day on Monday, strongly emphasized the importance of respecting the inalienable rights of every individual, regardless of their tribe, social status, or religion.
Obi highlighted that human rights are the foundation of peaceful, just, and inclusive societies.
He pointed out that, as citizens, it is crucial to reflect on how far Nigeria has come in ensuring the rights of its people are respected.
Unfortunately, according to Obi, the current state of human rights in the country is disheartening.
“Human rights are the foundation for peaceful, just, and inclusive societies,” Obi said.
“On a day like this, we ought to judge for ourselves how we have progressed or retrogressed in respecting the human rights of our citizens.”
The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) recently reported that it receives over two million complaints annually related to human rights abuses in Nigeria.
But Obi acknowledged that these are just the ones brought to light—many others go unreported due to fear or lack of the ability to challenge these violations.
“Millions of others have neither the willpower to stand up against the abuse of their rights nor the voice to speak out and seek help,” he remarked.
Obi’s comments come amid disturbing statistics that paint a bleak picture of the country’s human rights record. In 2022, Nigeria was ranked 21st among countries with the worst human rights and rule of law violations globally.
More recently, in 2023, Nigeria was also listed as the 15th weakest state out of 177 countries on the Fragile State Index, reflecting ongoing challenges in governance, rule of law, and human rights protections.
TV anchor Rufai Oseni makes headlines as he speaks on fuel subsidy in Nigeria. He shared that Nigeria can have fuel subsidy without the long queues at filling stations.
“When we were still paying subsidies, there were no long queues. We were subsidising. So you can still have a subsidy regime going on, and there will be no long queues because production was close by. Dangote had it. That’s just it. That argument also falls flat.
“The biggest beneficiaries of subsidy are not Nigerians. They are crony capitalists that have big infrastructure, and they do contracts. They have been the biggest beneficiaries of the subsidy,” he said.
Lagos State Governor, Sanwo-Olu, speaks to those in the electricity sector about the usual blackouts in the state.
He speaks on ways things can change in the state and how electricity can be provided.
“We need to drop corporate egos, abandon long-standing excuses, and confront the harsh realities obstructing progress in the power sector.”
“We, state governments, used to give excuses that everything is centralised, so the Federal Government has unbundled it now. What have we done in a year and a half?” Sanwo-Olu asked.
“We take two steps forward, we go five steps backward,” he said.
Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu has declared Thursday, August 20, a work-free day for public servants in the state to mark the Isese Festival.
Speaking on the celebration, he said “Ìṣẹ̀ṣe is not a relic. It is a living expression of our traditions and a celebration of Yoruba spirituality as an important part of Nigeria’s cultural and religious landscape,” he said.
He added “When the drums sound in Lagos on Thursday, they answer drums in Havana, in Salvador, in Port of Spain. Fifty-five million people and counting. Lagos is not observing a local holiday. Lagos is standing at the centre of a global heritage,” Aregbe said.
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