Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has congratulated African countries that represented the continent at the FIFA World Cup, saying their performances have made Africa proud.
In a post on his X platform on Sunday, Obi reserved special praise for Cape Verde, describing the country’s qualification for the knockout stage as evidence that effective leadership, planning and strong institutions can overcome limitations of size and population.
He noted that Cape Verde, with a landmass of about 4,033 square kilometres and a population of approximately 550,000, is significantly smaller than Nigeria in both size and population, yet achieved a notable feat at the tournament.
According to Obi, Cape Verde’s success demonstrates that national progress is driven by planning, discipline and functional systems rather than geographical size or population.
Reflecting on Nigeria’s absence from the World Cup, Obi argued that the country’s failure to qualify was not due to a shortage of football talent but the result of years of poor administration, weak institutions and ineffective leadership.
He said Nigeria’s experience offers a broader lesson on the importance of building strong institutions, rewarding merit and implementing effective planning across all sectors.
Obi maintained that with the right leadership and institutional reforms, Nigeria has the potential to achieve global success not only in football but in other areas of national development.
He concluded by reiterating his belief that “A New Nigeria is Possible.”
