Xenophobia: Many Nigerians prefer to die in South Africa than return home — Obi

Former Anambra State Governor Peter Obi, has lamented the worsening condition of Nigerians abroad, revealing that many citizens facing xenophobic attacks in South Africa would rather remain there than return home.

Obi, who just returned to the country, raised the concerns at a dinner organised for NDC aspirants in Abuja on Monday.

This was disclosed in a statement issued on Tuesday by the NDC media team.

He said despite efforts to facilitate the return of distressed Nigerians from South Africa, many rejected the offer, insisting that conditions in Nigeria were worse.

“I just came back last night from South Africa. You know what Nigerians are going through in South Africa and so many other African countries,” Obi said.

“I finally addressed Nigerians. I told them that if we had things working in our country the way they should be, most of you wouldn’t be here.

“If you don’t know, we provided facilities for them to come back. But most of them told me they would rather die there than come back. They said things are even worse at home.”

Obi said he met with political leaders and former South African President Thabo Mbeki to seek improved relations between South Africans and other African nationals.

“I took time to sit down with three ministers who are leaders of their own parties to plead with them about how things can work between South Africans and other African nationals, and we had a very fruitful discussion,” he added.

The former governor also faulted the Federal Government over what he described as its failure to support Nigerians facing hardship abroad.

“It is not only in South Africa that Nigerians have problems, but they have problems in other countries. I have had the opportunity to speak to leaders in those countries.

“I have had cause to ask them if our government has visited and the answer is no. If your country is not there for you, who will care for you? Is it an outsider?” he queried.

Obi further lamented the country’s deteriorating security situation, despite Nigeria’s historical role in global peacekeeping operations.

“Nigeria played a role in securing nations since the Second World War. We have been part of peacekeeping and commanded United Nations peacekeeping forces globally.

“But today, Nigeria cannot secure itself. This is unacceptable,” he said.

Meanwhile, NDC National Leader Seriake Dickson has explained why the party could not deploy electronic voting for its primaries as planned earlier.

According to him, the platform and application for the process were already ready but required further testing to avoid technical glitches.

“After now, any other primary in the NDC for the next three months upward, and certainly by the next round of elections, every registered voter will start using their phone to vote,” Dickson stated.

“That is the direction that even the Nigerian general elections should be heading. And the NDC, as usual, will innovate and show the way in that area.”

He added that the NDC was not being built as “a special purpose vehicle for any human being” but as a party founded on ideology and service.

Also speaking at the event, former Secretary of the Board of Trustees of the New Nigeria People’s Party, Buba Galadima, urged aspirants who may not secure tickets to remain loyal to the party.

“The time pushed on us by the APC government through the National Assembly is not a friend of the NDC,” Galadima said.

“If you are about two to 17 aspirants in any constituency, you must bear in mind that only one of you can have the opportunity to fly the flag.”