A New York-based lawyer and chartered accountant, Chief Owolabi Salis, has held a meeting with former Vice President Atiku Abubakar as part of efforts to promote discussions aimed at advancing Nigeria’s democratic development and national progress.
Salis said the engagement forms part of a broader initiative designed to strengthen the country’s democratic system and encourage conversations on Nigeria’s future.
He disclosed that he also intends to meet with President Bola Tinubu, former President Olusegun Obasanjo, former Heads of State Yakubu Gowon, Ibrahim Babangida and Abdulsalami Abubakar as part of the ongoing consultations.
While praising the Tinubu administration for implementing key reforms, Salis expressed concern that Nigeria has yet to fully realize its democratic and economic potential despite more than two decades of civilian rule.
According to him, weak democratic institutions and self-serving political interests have slowed national development and widened the gap between the rich and the poor.
He noted that many Nigerians continue to struggle with poverty and limited access to quality healthcare, adding that some people lose their lives because they cannot afford basic medications and medical treatment.
Salis lamented that while wealthy individuals can access better healthcare or seek treatment abroad, many low-income citizens remain dependent on local public healthcare services that are often beyond their financial reach.
He, however, expressed confidence in President Tinubu’s commitment to addressing the country’s challenges, saying his interactions with the president and observations of his engagements with national leaders convinced him that the administration is focused on moving Nigeria forward.
Salis also recalled briefly meeting President Tinubu in Qatar, describing the encounter as one that reinforced his belief in the president’s determination to drive national development.
