Chief Chekwas Okorie, the National Chairman, United Progressive Party (UPP), on Friday, said the best way Nigeria could honour the late Nelson Mandela was to build a strong and virile democracy.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!Okorie made the disclosure in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos.
Mandela, the first black South African president died on Dec. 6, at the age of 95.
Okorie, who described Mandela as “a global Iroko tree“ said African leaders, especially those in Nigeria, have a lot of lessons to learn from the life and times of Mandela.
“Mandela was a great global citizen and icon of democracy and those who love him must emulate him by enshrining credible democracy through free, fair, acceptable and transparent elections.
“We mourn a man of conscience, a man of peace, a courageous man who touched and inspired millions of people across the world,’’ he said.
Similarly, the National Chairman, African Democratic Congress (ADC), Chief Ralphs Nwosu, had stressed the need for African leaders and indeed the world over to emulate Mandela’s virtues, courage, humility, selflessness and love.
He said “as we mourn Mandela, let us reflect and share how to keep his legacies alive in our daily endeavours.’’
In his reaction, the Lagos Chairman of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Tunji Shelle, said the political class must champion the drive for change in the nation’s value system.
He said “politicians contributed more than any other section of the country in the fast eroding values among the Nigerian people.
“We need leaders who will do what they say and relinquish power for the interest of the majority of their people.
