Presidential candidate of the Labour Party in the 2023 election, Mr Peter Obi, has said no nation can make progress in the midst of insecurity. He said the people must first feel secure before progress can be made.
Obi said this during scholarships and awards night for icons of democracy, organised by the Coalition for the Protection of Democracy (COPDEM).
At the event, which took place in Abuja, tributes were paid to the champions of democracy, whose unwavering dedication has paved the way for positive change in Nigeria.
Represented by former chairman of Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC), Peter Ameh, he said “The award represents the extraordinary undefeated spirit of the Nigerian people. The Nigerian people were very committed in 2023. Peter Obi came into the election with integrity, sincerity and a track record of working for the people and that record even in the public and private sector was enough to propel him to victory in the election.
“Nigerians appreciate good people despite that they were disappointed by a lot of people because before people would want to decamp to a political party, you’re looking for a party that has a governor, senators. Look at what happened that a party without structure or standing, the Nigerian people took it up to number one party,” he said.
Also speaking on the purpose of the event, COPDEM National chairman Prince Rwang Pam Jr said, “,On the general level there are people who risk their lives in the face of intimidation and spoke out the truth in defense of democracy. So, we felt such people should not be thrown to the wind. It is not a bone you just throw away, these are people that have sacrificed and we owe them a duty of recognition.
“On the post – humuous level, we have heroes, we have people like Dele Giwa,Gani Fawehnmi, MKO Abiola, these are people who laid down their lives, so, we felt we needed to recognize and respect them.”
Some of the prominents Nigerians who won the Icon awards at the event includes Peter Obi, Aisha Yusufu, Bishop Mathew Hassan Kukah, HRH Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, Rufai Oseni, Kenneth Okonkwo and late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua.
COPDEM operates as an independent Political Action Group ( PAG).
Scholarships of N1m, N500, 000 and N200, 000 respectively were awarded to three students, Benedict Princess Nneka from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Arinola Oluwaleke Micheal from Osun State University, Osogbo and Ekanem Precious Emmanuel from Arthur Jarvis University, Cross River State.