Peter Obi, presidential candidate for the Labour Party, marked World Day of Social Justice with a call for equal opportunity for all, regardless of religion or tribe and to combat social injustice in Nigeria.
The former governor of Anambra made this call in a statement shared on his X account on Tuesday morning.
Obi stressed the need for equal economic, political, and social rights and opportunities for everyone in society.
He called for leaders to prioritise the people in governance, advocating for equal access to education, health, well-being, and advancement opportunities for all Nigerians, irrespective of factors such as ethnicity, religion, political affiliation, or social status.
“In our nation Nigeria, social justice demands that we offer equal access to education, health, well-being, and opportunities for advancement to every Nigerian irrespective of ethnicity, religion, political affiliation, or social status,” he said.
Obi highlighted Nigeria’s low ranking in social justice, currently at 158 out of 190 countries measured, attributing this to disunity among the people. He noted the nation’s sharp divisions along tribal and religious lines, with a weak social cohesion index of 39.6%, according to a 2022 report by the Africa Polling Institute.
He also pointed out the disregard for the rule of law, with Nigeria ranking 120 out of 142 countries in the 2023 Global Rule of Law Index released by the World Justice Project.
Obi said, “Nigeria remains sharply divided along tribal and religious lines. Our social cohesion index remains weak at 39.6%, according to a 2022 report by Africa Polling Institute. Another factor fueling social injustice in Nigeria is the disregard for the rule of law.”
Expressing concern for the complex challenges faced by Nigerians, including insecurity, poverty, unemployment, and inflation, Obi urged the government to urgently implement people-oriented policies.
“With the Nigerian people facing many complex challenges ranging from insecurity, poverty, unemployment, inflation, and so on, the government needs to take urgent steps to ameliorate the burdens borne by the masses by ensuring that they come up with people-oriented policies that will help, protect, and encourage the masses, especially the less privileged,” he said.
He emphasised the necessity of creating a fair society where every Nigerian has an equal opportunity to live decently, explore their potential, and contribute meaningfully to society
