A former President, Nigerian Bar Association, NBA, Olisa Agbakoba, has provided reasons Italian footballer, Mario Balotolli criticized the election of Toni Iwobi as the first black Italian Senator.
While describing Iwobi’s rise in Italy as a good development for Nigeria and African, Agbakoba noted that the politician was elected on the wrong platform.
Iwobi, 62, was elected on the platform of the far-right League Party which propagates anti-immigration policies. He was born in Gusau, Zamfara, but has been living in Italy since the 1970s.
Agbakoba who spoke with the News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, in Lagos on Saturday, said, “It is a good one for black people, Nigeria, and Africa in general. It is a big achievement for a black man to rise to that status in a Western country.
“But there is a very big problem, he has been elected on a wrong platform,” he said.
He noted that the senator was elected on a platform that was “against African and black issues.”
“Iwobi was elected on a platform that had contrary issues on Africans and black people and that is why football star, Mario Balotelli, criticised him for being anti-black and belong to a party that is anti-immigration.”
According to the former NBA boss, the stand of Iwobi’s party has led to the emergence far-right nationalist movement in Europe.
Agbakoba added, “Ultra-right parties in Europe are a dangerous trend. Such parties are opposed to Angela Merkel of Germany and Emmanuel Macron of France,who are trying to build a strong Europe.”
He urged Italians and other European countries to oppose such ultra-right parties and work for a united Europe.
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