Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has said that Nigeria is facing disunity because many leaders are more concerned with their selfish interests than with the survival and health of the nation.

This is how he lamented that government appointments are biased and unbalanced on the basis of nepotism and mediocrity and disregard for merit and competence.

He said that politicians and political parties were trampling on many of the things put in place to give all groups in the country a sense of belonging.

Obasanjo said this while delivering his remarks titled, ‘Nigeria’s Quest for Unity and the Role of Unity Schools’, at the 50th anniversary of the Federal Government College, Kaduna, on Saturday.

He said: “First, I am concerned that the current state of our nation’s economy has widened the chasm of inequality and left many people in despair. Inflation is on the rise; Poverty and hardship have returned to many homes. The last decade has reversed many of the economic gains that were achieved in the first decade of the century. There is a general feeling of hopelessness across the country with insecurity seemingly uncontrollable.

“In addition to the economic difficulties, there is political mischief. We have never been so politically divided on religious, ethnic and other grounds and deliberately. Government appointments are biased and unbalanced on the basis of nepotism and mediocrity and disregard for merit and competence. The elections are here and they can aggravate the problem.

“Political parties and politicians have now been emboldened to scrap some of the things that were put in place to give all groups a sense of belonging. The exclusion is being taken as normal. Disunity stares us in the face, and many of our leaders are more concerned with their selfish interests than with the survival and health of our nation.

“Let me reiterate that the concerns being raised about the nature of the choices before us in the presidential election, for example, are real and should not be taken lightly.

“Nigeria belongs to all of us and no part of the country should be left in doubt about its place in this union under any circumstances; ethnic, religious, language, region, culture or social position”.

Obasanjo said the beauty of democracy is that it cannot be imposed on Nigerians beforehand.

“If we choose to do nothing, we will only blame ourselves. If we choose to do the right thing, by doing so we will get this country back on the right track; one that gives all of our people a sense of belonging and a sense of unity of purpose and a stake in the Nigerian project; a project that will give us all peace, security, stability, shared prosperity, hope and progress and a place in the community of nations,” he said.

At the time of reporting, efforts to reach the Presidency were unsuccessful as the Senior Special Assistant to the President for Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, did not respond to calls or messages sent to him.