[BREAKING] Peter Obi: Nigeria Is Not a Democratic Country

Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has declared that Nigeria is no longer a democratic country, arguing that the government fails to meet the essential standards of democracy.

Speaking on ARISE NEWS Prime Time, Obi criticised the current administration, stating,

“There’s no democracy in Nigeria today. Nigeria today is not a democratic country. Let’s stop telling ourselves lies.”

Obi argued that true democracy is based on governance by the people, through legitimate elections, but claimed that this is not the case in Nigeria.

“The government we have is one of the people. It’s not by the people, because the people didn’t vote—it wasn’t their votes,” he said. He added that this problem is not limited to the presidency but extends across various levels of government.

“Look at what is happening across the board. Can you call that democracy? It’s not for the people.”

He further accused the government of suppressing dissent and restricting free speech, contradicting claims that Nigeria remains a democratic state.

“We are harassed every day. There’s no freedom of speech. And you know that. I can tell you there are so many people who have been detained in one place or the other because they’ve made one statement,” he stated.

Beyond governance, Obi criticised the Tinubu administration’s economic performance, questioning claims of progress. He dismissed assertions that economic reforms were working, saying,

“When you talk about improvements, there are not things you say; people feel them, people see them.” He pointed to worsening economic indicators, such as the depreciation of the naira and rising unemployment.

“Somebody who makes dollar at 300-something, 400, is now 1,000. Unemployment, you know, everywhere,” he noted.

On the removal of fuel subsidies, Obi questioned the government’s transparency, demanding proof of where the savings were being reinvested.

“You say you want to save this money to be able to invest. Where? You have to invest in critical areas of development. Are we investing in education?” he asked. He cited the poor state of primary education, particularly in IDP camps.

“Just today, I visited an IDP camp. There are over 40,000 people in IDP camps around Abuja. The one I visited has over 4,000. They don’t have a primary school,” he said.

Regarding security and governance, Obi warned that Nigeria was on a dangerous path.

“We’re heading into a state of nature, where anybody can do anything they want. Everything is collapsing,” he said. He stressed that without the rule of law, economic stability and investment would remain impossible.

“People go where there is law and order; nobody goes where there is chaos,” he asserted.

On the political crisis in Rivers State, Obi condemned the declaration of a state of emergency, calling it an unnecessary escalation of political tensions.

“You cannot just take the action that has been taken in Rivers State. There’s a clear path to dealing with that issue,” he said. He also criticised the broader political climate, stating that such actions undermine governance and democratic principles.