As Nigeria marks its Democracy Day, Mr Peter Obi, the 2023 presidential candidate of the Labour Party and leading opposition figure, has voiced a critical assessment of the country’s democratic progress over the past 25 years. In a statement posted on his official Twitter handle, Obi questioned whether Nigeria can truly call itself a democracy, pointing to significant failures and systemic issues.
Reflecting on the journey since the country’s return to democratic rule in 1999, Obi highlighted the deterioration into what he described as “classical state capture.” He noted that instead of benefiting the people, the current system has become a source of deprivation for all.
“The consequences of not being a true democracy have led to leadership failures that have resulted in uncontrolled systemic corruption, high levels of insecurity, lack of freedom of speech, increasing poverty rates, and unprecedented levels of hunger and hardship,” Obi stated. He emphasized that these issues remain unsolved and continue to grow.
Obi outlined what true democracy should look like, stating that it must be people-oriented, respect citizens’ rights, enforce laws, and hold leaders accountable. He stressed that the welfare and care of the people, especially the poor, should be paramount. Unfortunately, according to Obi, the current situation in Nigeria is the opposite.
Obi supported his argument by citing several international rankings that paint a bleak picture of Nigeria’s democratic health: a low democracy index score of 4.23, a ranking of 145th out of 180 countries on the Corruption Perception Index, 120th out of 142 countries in the World Justice Project (WJP) Rule of Law Index, 112th out of 180 countries in the 2024 World Press Freedom Index by Reporters Without Borders (RSF), and 109th out of 125 countries on the Global Hunger Index.
Obi called for the commemoration of June 12 to be an occasion to recommit to building a truly democratic nation. He urged all Nigerians to respect and protect democratic institutions, obey the laws, hold leaders accountable, and fulfill the responsibilities of governance as outlined in the constitution.
“As we build a New Nigeria, these tenets shall be the pillars of our true democracy. It is possible,” Obi concluded.
Peter Obi, who previously served as the governor of Anambra State, has been a consistent voice in advocating for democratic reforms and better governance in Nigeria.
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