Ex-Nigerian president, Olusegun Obasanjo, has urged Nigerians to immediately transit “to a popular movement” ahead of the 2019 elections.
He said this on Tuesday at the 15th Centre for Values in Leadership (CVL) Annual Lecture and International Leadership Symposium in Lagos.
Obasanjo, who subtly promoted his Coalition for Nigeria Movement (CNM), noted that Nigeria has been moving from one phase of leadership to another since independence.
He said, “We cannot fold our hands and think that we are there yet, we are not there yet.
“The first generation of leaders gave us independence, there was transition from colonial to independence, then the military came and the military went out, then change of regime between one party to another but we have to transition to popular movement that will give the people the feeling and belief that the power lies in their hand.”
He further stressed the importance of focusing on developing the poor and degrading state of education in the country. He lamented that less than 30% of Northerners are educated.
Sources close to the former Nigerian president say the CNM will begin mass mobilisation and registration of members in March.