Peter Obi: The ‘antidote to big man-ism’ who could be Nigeria’s next president
He was relatively unknown until a few months ago, and yet Peter Obi has been propelled to frontrunner status in Nigeria’s upcoming election.
Young, by Nigerian political standards, at 61, and with a reputation for probity in a country rife with corruption, he is the man to watch.
His supporters say that if he wins the presidency in February, it will show Nigeria’s democracy is in good shape in the world’s first big election of 2023.
Sky News had rare access to the Labour Party candidate during a brief visit to London.
He is, he said, the change agent in this election.
“We’re trying to say, and everybody can see, especially the youth, that something’s wrong and everyone can see that the country cannot continue on this trajectory leading to nowhere,” he said.
There is a buzz around Mr Obi. He had come to address a foreign policy crowd at Chatham House, the think tank, with an extraordinary 100,000 joining to watch online.
The Georgian square outside was thronged with people waiting for him afterwards, singing and chanting his name. Chatham House does not usually witness such scenes.
His supporters say he is the antidote to what they call “big man-ism” in Nigeria – the all-powerful former army general or rich man who takes power through money and influence.
Mr Obi carries his own bag, they say, and owns only one wristwatch.
Peter Obi supporters in London. Pic: AP
Read more on Nigeria:
Millions face starvation after worst floods in decade
Overpopulation hitting poorest as family planning remains contentious
There are questions, however, about undeclared offshore companies he’s reported to own and his campaign manager was convicted of money laundering. He was dismissive of them.
His affairs are all transparent, he said, wrapped up in a trust, and as for the disgraced team official: “Whatever happened with him, it’s an issue that happened before he became my campaign manager.”
There are far bigger questions about the financial integrity of his opponents.
Mr Obi is taking on the big powerful interests of Nigerian politics, and comes from the Igbo group, who have never had one of their own in the top job.
He admits to being daunted but says he is prepared for the role and believes Nigeria’s problems need solving.
And he says British people should care about this election, too.
“We have 200 million people, which is a huge market for Britain. And it’s critical for Britain – as they leave the European Union they need Commonwealth members,” he said.
The country he wants to run faces enormous challenges: runaway inflation, soaring unemployment and endemic corruption.
It is threatened by separatist groups and jihadist insurgencies. He says he will sit down and talk with agitators and govern with compassion.
Paul Arkwright, the former British high commissioner in Nigeria, said the county needs a new sense of direction.
“I’m afraid it’s in quite a mess and there’s a sense of paralysis almost in Nigeria,” he said.
“I do think that a fresh voice, someone coming in with new ideas, could make that difference and that matters to the UK.”
World
Putin wasn’t at the White House, but his influence was – the moments which reveal his hold over Trump
Vladimir Putin wasn’t at the White House but his influence clearly was. At times, it dominated the room.
There were three key moments that revealed the Russian president‘s current hold over Donald Trump.
The first was in the Oval Office. Sitting alongside Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the US president told reporters: “I don’t think you need a ceasefire.”
Ukraine talks latest: Zelenskyy ‘ready to meet’ Putin after Trump summit
Vladimir Putin shaking hands with Donald Trump when they met last week. Pic: Reuters
It was a stunning illustration of Mr Trump’s about-face in his approach to peace. For the past six months, a ceasefire has been his priority, but after meeting Mr Putin in Alaska, suddenly it’s not.
Confirmation that he now views the war through Moscow’s eyes.
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
Trump applauds Putin and shares ride in ‘The Beast’ last week
The second was the format itself, with Mr Trump reverting to his favoured ask-what-you-like open-ended Q&A.
In Alaska, Mr Putin wasn’t made to take any questions – most likely, because he didn’t want to. But here, Mr Zelenskyy didn’t have a choice. He was subjected to a barrage of them to see if he’d learnt his lesson from last time.
It was a further demonstration of the special status Mr Trump seems to afford to Mr Putin.
👉 Follow Trump100 on your podcast app 👈
The third was their phone call. Initially, President Trump said he’d speak to the Kremlin leader after his meeting with European leaders. But it turned out to be during it.
A face-to-face meeting with seven leaders was interrupted for a phone call with one – as if Mr Trump had to check first with Mr Putin, before continuing his discussions.
We still don’t know the full details of the peace proposal that’s being drawn up, but all this strongly suggests that it’s one sketched out by Russia. The White House is providing the paper, but the Kremlin is holding the pen.
Read more:
Four key takeaways from the White House Ukraine summit
Trump has taken peace talks a distance not seen since the war began
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
Trump, Zelenskyy and the suit: What happened?
For Moscow, the aim now is to keep Mr Trump on their path to peace, which is settlement first, ceasefire later.
It believes that’s the best way of securing its goals, because it has more leverage so long as the fighting continues.
👉 Listen to Sky News Daily on your podcast app 👈      
But Mr Putin will be wary that Mr Trump is pliable and can easily change his mind, depending on the last person he spoke to.
So to ensure that his sympathies aren’t swayed, and its red lines remain intact, Russia will be straining to keep its voice heard.
On Monday, for example, the Russian foreign ministry was quick to condemn recent comments from the UK government that it would be ready to send troops to help enforce any ceasefire.
It described the idea as “provocative” and “predatory”.
Moscow is trying to drown out European concerns by portraying itself as the party that wants peace the most, and Kyiv (and Europe) as the obstacle.
But while Mr Zelenskyy has agreed to a trilateral meeting, the Kremlin has not. After the phone call between Mr Putin and Mr Trump, it said the leaders discussed “raising the level of representatives” in the talks between Russia and Ukraine. No confirmation to what level.
World
Trump is playing both sides – but has taken peace talks a distance not seen since the war began
Talks between Donald Trump, Volodymyr Zelenskyy and European leaders have taken place at the White House, aimed at finding an end to the war in Ukraine.
On the agenda were US security guarantees, whether a ceasefire is required, and a potential summit between the Ukrainian president and Vladimir Putin.
Zelenskyy ready to meet Putin – follow latest
Here’s what three of our correspondents made of it all.
For Trump
For Mr Trump, the challenge to remain seen as the deal-broker is to maintain “forward momentum, through devilish detail,” Sky News’ US correspondent James Matthews says.
The US president called the Washington summit a “very good early step”, but that’s all it was, Matthews says.
Despite cordiality with Mr Zelenskyy and promising talk of a US role in security guarantees for Ukraine and discussions for meetings to come. Matthews says the obstacles remain.
“Trump has taken peace discussions to a distance not travelled since the start of the war, but it is a road navigated by a president playing both sides who have changed his mind on key priorities.”
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
Zelenskyy, Trump and the suit
For Putin
As for Russia, Sky News’ Moscow correspondent Ivor Bennett says the aim is to keep Trump on its preferred path towards peace – a deal first, a ceasefire later.
“Moscow believes that’s the best way of securing all of its goals,” Bennett says.
But Ukraine and Europe want things the other way round, and Moscow “will be wary that Trump can be easily persuaded by the last person he spoke to”.
And so, Russia will be “trying to keep themselves heard” and “cast Kyiv as the problem, as they won’t agree to a peace deal on the Kremlin’s terms”.
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
What’s Putin’s next move? Sky’s Ivor Bennett explains
For the UK and Europe
Sky News’ deputy political editor Sam Coates says, for Sir Keir Starmer and Europe, the biggest success of the Washington summit was the US promise of security guarantees for Ukraine.
He adds that the “hard work starts now to actually try to figure out what these guarantees amount to”.
Sir Keir said if Vladimir Putin breaches a future peace deal, there would have to be consequences, but Coates said potentially “insoluble” issues stand in the way.
“At what point do those breaches invoke a military response, whether US guarantees would be enough to encourage European involvement in Ukraine, and whether or not you could see the UK and Europe going to war with Russia to protect Ukraine?”
Coates says “there may never be an answer that satisfies everyone involved”.
-
Sports3 years ago‘Storybook stuff’: Inside the night Bryce Harper sent the Phillies to the World Series
-
Sports1 year agoStory injured on diving stop, exits Red Sox game
-
Sports2 years agoGame 1 of WS least-watched in recorded history
-
Sports2 years agoMLB Rank 2023: Ranking baseball’s top 100 players
-
Sports4 years ago
Team Europe easily wins 4th straight Laver Cup
-
Sports2 years agoButton battles heat exhaustion in NASCAR debut
-
Environment2 years agoJapan and South Korea have a lot at stake in a free and open South China Sea
-
Environment2 years agoGame-changing Lectric XPedition launched as affordable electric cargo bike