Former Vice President Yemi Osinbajo and Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate, Peter Obi, were among global leaders invited to participate in the 2024 International Leaders Forum held on the sidelines of the Democratic National Convention in the United States.
Obi disclosed this in a statement and pictures shared on social media on Wednesday, stating: “Upon a personal invitation from the Board of the National Democratic Institute for International Affairs, I, along with two other eminent Nigerians and approximately two hundred other distinguished political leaders from over 91 countries, including former heads of government, were invited to participate in the 2024 International Leaders Forum on the sidelines of the Democratic National Convention in Chicago, Illinois, held on 19-22 August 2024.”
Obi expressed his gratitude for the invitation, saying: “I am honoured and grateful to Senator Thomas Daschle and the Board of NDI for the gracious invitation. Over the years, NDI has identified and invited key senior politicians and policymakers from around the world to observe an important and rich facet of the United States of America’s democratic process.”
He further explained the purpose of the forum, stating: “The ILF gathering serves as an opportunity for such leaders, drawn from diverse nationalities, ideologies, and geographies, to build relationships based on their shared experiences while identifying peculiarities as well as common interests, and addressing pressing challenges to democratic institutions, values, and norms.”
Obi highlighted the forum’s features, including presentations and exchanges with top US political leaders, such as DNC Chair Jamie Harrison and former DNC Chair Debbie Wasserman Schultz, as well as international leaders like the Prime Minister of Kosovo, the former Prime Minister of Denmark, and the former NATO Secretary General.
He emphasized the significance of the ILF for African democracies, stating: “The ILF offered those from Africa’s nascent and evolving democracies the opportunity to learn from others and share their experiences in building resilient democracies.”
