By Solomon OKPO
As Nigeria moves closer to the 2027 presidential elections, Prof. Chris Mustapha Nwaokobia Jnr, Convener of the CountryFirst Movement, has urged politicians and citizens alike to put national interest above personal ambition in the quest to salvage the country from its current socio-economic and political challenges.
In a strongly worded statement, Nwaokobia criticized the Bola Ahmed Tinubu administration, describing it as “underwhelming, uneventful, and underperforming.” He lamented what he termed worsening poverty, deepening hunger, entrenched corruption, and wasteful governance, insisting that Nigeria requires urgent and radical redemptive leadership.
“Where are the patriots, where are the statesmen, and where are the public-spirited citizens who truly want a Nigeria that works for all?” he asked, noting that the nation must rise above divisive politics of ethnicity, geography, and religion to embrace a collective agenda for national recovery.
Calling on political aspirants ahead of 2027, Nwaokobia urged them to close ranks and rally behind the most formidable candidate capable of defeating President Tinubu at the polls. He emphasized the need for a “ballot-based people’s revolution, not a bullet-based one,” insisting that Nigeria must not allow “soulless power-mongers” to determine its future.
He challenged Nigerians to reject leaders driven solely by greed and ambition, warning that continued complacency could endanger the soul of the nation.
“The power of the people is stronger and mightier than the power of those in power,” he declared.
Nwaokobia also announced that his intervention will continue as a long-form series, where he intends to examine potential aspirants, their politics, passion, ambition, and humanity in order to guide citizens toward an informed choice.
“Except something drastic and urgent is done, we are all in trouble. The time to organize is now, for only through deliberate and concerted effort can we save Nigeria,” he concluded.
