Nigeria’s Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi marked the International Human Solidarity Day on Wednesday by calling on citizens to transcend their differences and come together in unity.
In a series of tweets, Obi urged Nigerians to “shun ethnic, religious divisions” and instead leverage the nation’s diversity as a source of strength.
“Today, we join the global community in celebrating the International Human Solidarity Day which is dedicated to strengthening our global unity in diversity, and to help in fostering international cooperation on the eradication of hunger and diseases at the global level,” Obi wrote.
He said Nigerians need to “tear down the walls of ethnic and religious divisions that have continued to divide us and instead emphasize our unity and leverage our diverse and rich cultural and ethnic identities and strengths to advance our national progress.”
Obi’s message emphasized finding common ground, bridging divides, and focusing on shared interests rather than letting diversity be a point of conflict.
“We must break down barriers that keep us apart and build on our shared interests, values and aspirations as one Nigerian people,” he said.
The International Human Solidarity Day seeks to raise awareness of the importance of solidarity as a fundamental value for international relations.
Obi’s unity-themed message comes as Nigeria grapples with divisions along ethnic and religious lines even as elections approach next year. The presidential hopeful and former governor of Anambra State is campaigning as an alternative to the two major parties that have long dominated Nigerian politics.
With International Human Solidarity Day, Obi found an occasion to call for national unity rather than ethnic, religious or political differences.
