The political commentator known as Nefertiti has urged Nigerians to revisit the 1993 presidential debate between the late Chief Moshood Kashimawo Olawale (MKO) Abiola and Alhaji Bashir Tofa, arguing that the exchange highlighted Abiola’s economic philosophy and leadership qualities ahead of the June 12 anniversary.

In a post shared on X, Nefertiti said Nigerians should “leave everything” and watch the debate, describing it as a defining moment that showcased Abiola’s opposition to policies associated with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank.

According to the commentator, Abiola rejected currency devaluation, IMF loans and what he considered wasteful government spending, while advocating free education instead of student loan schemes.

Nefertiti further claimed that Abiola’s performance during the debate contributed significantly to his victory in the June 12, 1993 presidential election against Bashir Tofa.

The post described Abiola as a capitalist with socialist ideals who strongly opposed the Structural Adjustment Programme (SAP), arguing that such policies exposed developing countries to debt dependency and neo-colonial influence.

Highlighting what was described as the late politician’s economic vision, Nefertiti referenced Abiola’s “Farewell to Poverty” manifesto, saying it proposed an alternative economic framework that rejected IMF and World Bank loans and structural adjustment policies.

The commentator stated that Abiola intended to fund free healthcare and education through reductions in government waste and increased revenue from oil companies rather than through external borrowing or currency devaluation.

Nefertiti also argued that Abiola prioritised national sovereignty, maintaining that Nigeria should not allow foreign institutions to dictate its domestic economic policies.

Drawing comparisons with the present administration and Nigeria’s contemporary political landscape, the X user alleged that current leaders who identify with the ideals of June 12 had abandoned the principles Abiola stood for.

The post accused present-day political actors of undermining democratic values through electoral malpractice, suppression of dissent and excessive borrowing.

“June 12 People have never participated in any presidential debates. They will run away from the 2027 debates. They hate accountability,” Nefertiti wrote.

The commentator also referenced former President Muhammadu Buhari’s participation in the 2011 presidential debate, noting that he did not attend similar debates during the 2007, 2015 and 2019 election cycles.

Nefertiti further drew parallels between Abiola and former Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi, stating that both politicians were known for using statistics to support their arguments and projecting themselves as advocates for the poor.

The June 12, 1993 presidential election, widely regarded as Nigeria’s freest and fairest poll, was conducted under the military administration of General Ibrahim Babangida but was later annulled, triggering a prolonged political crisis that ultimately contributed to the restoration of democratic rule in 1999.

Nefertiti concluded the post by criticising those seeking renewed electoral mandates, accusing them of failing to fulfil previous promises made to Nigerians.

A group of supporters under the banner of the Obidient Movement has rejected the appointment of Theo Abu Agada as Director of New Media and Strategic Communications of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), describing the decision as an affront to the party’s presidential candidate, Peter Obi, and his supporters.

In a statement signed by Karigwe, who identified himself as the “Prophet of Thoughts” and said he was speaking on behalf of Obidients, the group accused the NDC leadership of disregarding the interests of the movement by appointing an individual they claimed had a history of making critical remarks against Obi and his supporters.

The statement alleged that Agada had, on several occasions, publicly criticised Obi and members of the Obidient Movement, questioning the former Anambra governor’s leadership qualities and making comments that the group considered offensive.

According to the group, the appointment sends the wrong signal to millions of Nigerians who have identified with the Obidient Movement, which they described as being founded on the principles of competence, accountability, justice and people-centred governance.

The group argued that no political party that genuinely values the support of Obi and his followers should elevate an individual perceived to have been hostile to the movement into a strategic communications role.

It further expressed concern over what it described as a recurring pattern of disrespect towards the Obidient Movement across political platforms associated with Obi.

The statement also questioned the role of Tanko Yunusa, identified as the leader of the Obidient Movement, asking him to explain why such developments had continued to occur without any apparent intervention from the movement’s leadership.

“The Obidient Movement cannot continue to be treated as a crowd for rallies, online engagement and political optics, while those who openly insult the movement are put in strategic positions,” the statement said.

The group subsequently issued a number of demands to the NDC leadership, including the immediate reversal of Agada’s appointment and a public explanation of the process that led to his emergence as Director of New Media and Strategic Communications.

It also called for a formal apology to Peter Obi and members of the Obidient Movement, as well as assurances that individuals with what it described as a public record of hostility towards Obi and his supporters would not be appointed into sensitive communication positions within the party.

In addition, the group demanded that Yunusa provide a detailed explanation of his role as leader of the Obidient Movement and address concerns over what it termed repeated acts of disregard for the movement’s interests.

The NDC leadership and the individuals mentioned in the statement had not responded to the allegations at the tim

e of filing this report.