Former Director-General of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum and Founder of Red Carpet Protocol, Earl Osaro Onaiwu, has advised Nigerians to avoid allowing political differences to destroy their relationships with friends, relatives and loved ones.
Onaiwu said political affiliation has increasingly become a source of division among Nigerians, with supporters of different political parties and candidates sometimes allowing their political preferences to create serious disagreements and permanent rifts.
Speaking on the need for tolerance as political activities gather momentum, he urged Nigerians to understand that political disagreements are part of democracy and should not become personal battles.
According to him, people can hold completely different political views and still maintain genuine friendships and strong family relationships.
“We can disagree politically and still remain friends. We can support different candidates and still sit at the same table. Politics is temporary, but family and friendship are relationships we carry with us through life,” he said.
The former Nigeria Governors’ Forum Director-General noted that political participation should be about expressing opinions, debating policies and choosing leaders based on individual convictions, rather than turning fellow citizens with different political preferences into enemies.
He advised Nigerians to support their preferred candidates and defend their political positions, but cautioned against allowing political loyalty to erase years of friendship, family bonds and shared experiences.
“Do not lose your friends, brothers, sisters, or family members because of political affiliation. Support who you believe in and stand for what you believe is right, but never forget the people who were there before politics came into the picture,” Onaiwu said.
He also called for greater tolerance and mutual respect among Nigerians, particularly as the country moves towards another period of heightened political activity.
Onaiwu observed that political seasons are temporary and that candidates, parties and political administrations will eventually change, while the consequences of permanently damaged relationships may remain for much longer.
He therefore encouraged Nigerians to separate political disagreements from personal relationships and to recognise that supporting different political parties or candidates does not make people enemies.
The former NGF boss said Nigerians should be able to debate politics passionately while retaining the ability to sit together, maintain friendships and preserve family unity after the political contest is over.
He urged citizens to approach the coming political season with maturity, reminding them that no political party or candidate should be allowed to become more important than the human relationships that have sustained individuals and families over the years.
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