Chief Frank Kokori, former General Secretary of Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers, has expressed his disappointment with the state of affairs in the country 21 years after the transition to democracy.
He regretted the backwardness that had pervaded all areas of human endeavours in Nigeria, which he described as products of bad leadership by the ruling class. 
Speaking with SaharaReporters, Kokori said, “I am disillusioned with Nigeria today. I thought by now Nigeria would have developed more than this. It is a shame that the black leaders betrayed their continent and that is why you see the young people taking so much risk to go abroad.
“Those days when we go abroad, they respect us because Nigerians go there to study and come back home.
“Many of us sacrificed our lives for the country but we are happy that finally June 12 is recognised as Democracy Day in memory of MKO Abiola.
“I went underground for so many years for the struggle because my life was in danger. That was why the whole military regime focussed on Frank Kokori.
“They abducted me around 1:00am 27 years ago. The police who came to arrest me sat on me and I couldn’t breathe and I was shouting. I told them that if they killed me they would be setting the country on fire.
“I was put in solitary confinement in prison for four years. I didn’t know I would come out alive but by the grace of God I did.
“But unfortunately in the middle of the struggle, Abiola died, Kudirat died and many others. We did that for our country but we thought Nigeria would be a better place.
“I fought for democracy, I’m disappointed by the democracy we have today. It’s funny that people who did nothing for the country are the ones running democracy.”
