What May Happen To Nigeria Before 2023 Elections – Cardinal Onaiyekan

A former Catholic Archbishop of Abuja Diocese, John Cardinal Onaiyekan, has said Nigeria may split before 2023 because of security challenges and other factors.

He told PUNCH in an interview that due to greed, wickedness and stupidity, politicians would want to remain in office even when their tenure has expired.

Onaiyekan also slammed President Paul Biya of Cameroon for remaining in power for 30 years.

He stated that Nigeria’s neighbor have not developed and they remain stagnant.

Onaiyekan said, “There is no reason why the spate of insecurity should continue like this till 2023. There is no reason why we should not be able to finally settle this problem before the year 2022 is over.

“If it is not over, it means we have failed as a nation and the question will no longer be whether we can have election or not, but whether it makes sense even having an election because we don’t have a country; the matter is serious.

“As for the election, we are not even sure whether Nigeria will be one country or whether we would have an independent country. So, those are issues we must face now. As for holding election, it is not a big deal really. Election is a normal practice and in a democratic environment, if the environment is really democratic and peaceful, the election will come by its own.

“All of it; greed, wickedness and stupidity. Not only in Nigeria; go abroad, our next door neighbour, Cameroon, Paul Biya has been there for more than 30 years. Cameroon is not moving and he is not moving, why is he sitting there? So, they are worse than us.’’