Owolabi Salis meets Atiku, seeks talks with Tinubu, Obasanjo on Democratic Reforms

Nigeria’s first astronaut, Chief Owolabi Salis, has met former Vice President Atiku Abubakar as part of what he described as a strategic consultation with prominent national leaders aimed at charting a new course for Nigeria’s democratic and socio-economic development.

Salis, a New York-based lawyer and chartered accountant, disclosed that the meeting with Atiku marked the beginning of a series of planned engagements with key statesmen, including President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, former President Olusegun Obasanjo, former Heads of State Gen. Yakubu Gowon, Gen. Ibrahim Babangida, and Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar.

According to him, the consultations are driven by growing concerns over Nigeria’s democratic trajectory despite more than two decades of uninterrupted democratic governance.

He lamented that the country had yet to fully harness its enormous potential, attributing the situation to electoral malpractice, weak democratic institutions and self-serving political leadership.

“It is unfortunate that Nigeria is still drifting after over two decades of democracy despite its enormous potential,” Salis said.

He argued that the consequences of poor governance are most evident in the widening gap between the rich and the poor, with many Nigerians unable to afford basic healthcare and other essential services.

According to him, thousands of vulnerable citizens continue to die from preventable illnesses because they cannot afford basic medications, while the wealthy often seek medical treatment abroad.

Salis said he personally spends between $4,000 and $5,000 monthly to support indigent Nigerians with food and medical expenses, stressing that the scale of hardship reflects deeper systemic failures.

He also pointed to inadequate infrastructure in many communities, particularly those inhabited by low-income earners, as evidence that governance has failed to meet citizens’ expectations.

The former Lagos State governorship candidate of the Alliance for Democracy (AD) called for comprehensive electoral reforms, insisting that credible elections remain the foundation of national development.

“There is currently a dangerous trend that allows for rigging and writing of election results, which is dangerous for national development,” he said.

Recalling his experience during the Lagos governorship election, Salis claimed he witnessed electoral irregularities firsthand while inspecting election materials at the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

He further expressed concern over declining public confidence in key democratic institutions, including the judiciary and the National Assembly.

While declining to disclose the details of his proposals, Salis said he has developed practical solutions to Nigeria’s democratic challenges, which he intends to present privately to President Tinubu and other national leaders during the planned consultations.

“I believe I have solutions, but I would rather discuss them directly with the country’s leaders than in the media,” he said.