Posted by From IKE NNAMDI, The Sun Reporter Chicago. on
United States Senator Barack Obama says he will work with Nigerian leaders to take a more active role in ensuring stability and peace in Africa if he wins the Democratic Party primaries and ultimately the White House.
United States Senator Barack Obama says he will work with Nigerian leaders to take a more active role in ensuring stability and peace in Africa if he wins the Democratic Party primaries and ultimately the White House.
He said: "Nigeria has so much potential to be a catalyst of change on the continent and I intend to discuss such options with the country's leadership."
Obama, the first African-American lawmaker, is the son of a Kenyan father and an American mother. A fierce critic of former military leaders in Nigeria, he said that the country could be "the beacon of hope for Africa, just as America is to the world's oppressed."
He blamed past leaders for their inability to move the country forward, adding that Nigeria lacked leaders with vision and ability to implement bold reforms.
According to the senator, leadership is about setting goals, inspiring the people to achieve the impossible and moving the country forward," adding, 'sadly, past Nigerian leaders failed to do this."
He expressed support for the leadership of President Yar'Adua but called for a reform of the electoral system.
Obama and Hillary Clinton are in a close fight for the Democratic Party nomination, while Republican Senator John McCain and former governor, Mitt Romney, are vying for the Republican flag.
Twenty-four of the 50 states witnessed an unexpected heavy voter turn-out for their 'Super Tuesday" primaries.
More than half of the total Democratic delegates and about 40 per cent of the Republican delegates are up for grabs. Poll showed Obama opening a 13-point lead on Clinton in California, which alone has 441 delegates to the nominating convention.
Obama recently spoke to the President of Kenya, Mwai Kibaki, and opposition leader, Raila Odinga, on ways to restore peace to the country after post-election violence claimed over 1,000 people with continuing destruction of homes and farms.