By Mardiyyah Abubakar
Former Minister of Education, Dr Oby Ezekwesili, has urged Nigerians to reject the belief that the country’s decline is inevitable, describing the situation as the result of a flawed national design that citizens must challenge.
Ezekwesili also reaffirmed her support for former Anambra State Governor Peter Obi ahead of the 2027 presidential election.
Speaking in a interview with a television station on Monday, she urged Nigerians to “vote for themselves” by demanding leaders with character, competence and capacity.
The former minister said Nigeria’s biggest challenges include citizens’ growing acceptance of deteriorating conditions and the erosion of the value placed on human life.
“What we have to show for it is the complete collapse of the dignity of the human being and the dignity of life,” she said.
Ezekwesili argued that Nigerians should not accept the country’s current situation as their destiny.
“The greatest tragedy of the country is this resignation—that this is our destiny. I say no, this is by design. This design needs to be challenged,” she said.
Ezekwesili calls for national reset
The former minister called for a renewed national conversation to establish shared values, a common identity and a social contract capable of strengthening national cohesion.
She argued that Nigeria failed to have the necessary conversation after independence to establish a shared national vision.
According to her, the country has therefore struggled to move from being a geographical entity into a cohesive nation.
“The design that we run right now has not worked for us, we do need to design again,” she said.
Ezekwesili also said economic hardship could influence voters’ choices in 2027, particularly among citizens struggling to meet their basic needs.
She acknowledged that some voters could prioritise immediate financial or material benefits because of their economic circumstances.
However, she said Nigerians could reach a point where they reject the existing political trajectory and demand change.
She reaffirms support for Obi
Ezekwesili said her support for Obi remains based on her assessment of three leadership qualities: character, competence and capacity.
She said her position was similar during the 2023 presidential election and that nothing significant had changed in her assessment.
“In 2023, I made it very clear that, using the criteria on which I see leadership either fail or succeed to govern well… I was going to stand with Governor Obi,” she said.
However, she cautioned Nigerians against making the national conversation solely about Obi or any other individual politician.
“Don’t make this about Peter Obi. I don’t want us to personalise. I’m interested in the construct,” she said.
She urged Nigerians to apply the same standards of character, competence and capacity when assessing candidates seeking local, state and federal offices.
According to her, more credible Nigerians should contest elections and contribute to building a political system that serves the public interest.
Ezekwesili advocates institutional reforms
The former minister also reflected on her experience in government and her disagreements with former Vice President Atiku Abubakar.
She said her concerns were not personal but centred on reforms she considered necessary for Nigeria’s development.
Ezekwesili recalled efforts to address Nigeria’s debt burden and create fiscal space for investment in health, education and other key sectors.
She said her experience in government strengthened her conviction that Nigeria needs institutional reforms rather than simply changing political personalities during elections.
While maintaining her preference for Obi based on her leadership criteria, Ezekwesili said the bigger challenge was to build institutions and a political system capable of consistently producing leaders who serve the public interest.
