In a recent interview with Arise News FROM 21:49, Professor David Aworawo, a distinguished expert in International Relations and Strategic Studies at the University of Lagos, delved into the deep-seated issue of ethnicity in Nigerian politics. His comments centered on the significant influence of ethnic biases on the outcomes of elections, particularly in the 2023 presidential race.
Aworawo pointed out that ethnic loyalty played a pivotal role in the way people voted, especially in the northern regions of Nigeria. He remarked, “When you engage them [the Northerners], even the ones in Lagos, they do not even see if Obi is competent or not. If it’s between Igbos and Yoruba. They’re more comfortable with the Yoruba man than the Igbo man, and it’s a problem.”
He underscored the reluctance of many Northern voters to support Peter Obi, regardless of his qualifications or competence. This, he suggested, was rooted in deep ethnic divisions, with many Northerners favoring Bola Tinubu, a Yoruba man, over Obi, who is Igbo. Aworawo emphasized that this bias isn’t unique to one region or ethnic group, noting that Igbos similarly showed strong ethnic loyalty by overwhelmingly supporting Obi in the Eastern part of the country.
“Didn’t you see the figures for Obi in the East? In fact, he scored higher than any of the other candidates in their area. So ethnicity is a major problem as far as democracy and elections are concerned, and this must be addressed to a large degree before the best can begin to emerge in this country,” he continued….Sëe ~ Morê