2nd April, 2023
By Adeyemi Adeleye/Yinka Olawale
A former Minister of State for Defence, Sen. Musiliu Obanikoro, says those protesting and kicking against the inauguration of the President-elect, Sen. Bola Tinubu, on May 29, should not turn the country into a banana republic.
Obanikoro, also a former Ambassador to Ghana, made the remark while speaking with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on the sideline of the 9th Ramadan Lecture of Anwar-Ul Islam College, Agege Old Students’ Association (ACAOSA), on Saturday in Lagos.
The lecture was titled, “Islamic Perspective of a Good Governance: Any Lesson for Nigeria?”
Obanikoro said: “They are daydreaming. There is no perfect election anywhere in the world.
“For anyone that is not satisfied, what is next is to go through the judiciary. If you feel aggrieved, go to the court.
“We cannot turn Nigeria into a banana republic.
“Our system is not perfect, it is a work in progress, we have to continue to work at it until we get to a situation that all of us will be comfortable with.”
Describing as sad and unfortunate the calls by some people for Interim National Government, Obanikoro said that those calling for it showed that they did not appreciate democracy, hence not qualified to lead such a government.
“It sounds crazy to me,” he added.
In the Ramadan Lecture, Obanikoro, who described good governance as teaching of God in Quran and Bible, said that government should be about putting people first.
“The idea is to help the vulnerable among us and create a society where we will be our brother’s keepers.
“That is the essence of governance, and that is what the religion of Islam or Christianity is preaching almost on a daily basis,” he said.
Obanikoro, who was presented an award by ACAOSA for his contributions to the school through the association, said it was a privilege to give back to the school that had given them so much.
NAN reported that the Ramadan Lecture had in attendance various alumni of the school including Obanikoro; Alhaji Tunde Balogun, former Lagos APC Chairman; civil servants, technocrats; entrepreneurs; legal practitioners and academics.