Former Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has described Nigeria as a clear case of a democracy in decline, citing rising unaccountability and elite domination of the political space.
Obi made the statement on Wednesday while speaking at the Goodluck Jonathan Foundation Annual Democracy Dialogue held in Accra, Ghana.
The event, themed “What Makes Democracy Die?”, attracted leaders, scholars, and advocates of democratic governance from across Africa.
According to the former Anambra State governor, democracy begins to erode when it fails to serve the interests of the people.
“Democracy is fundamentally about accountability, about putting the people first, ensuring security, quality education, healthcare, and lifting citizens out of poverty,” Obi said.
“It begins to die when leaders stop being accountable and when the system no longer prioritises the needs of the people.”
Obi expressed concern that in Nigeria, the democratic process has been hijacked by elites who use public office primarily to access resources for personal or familial benefit, rather than for the public good.
He urged Nigerian citizens to be more deliberate in choosing leaders, stressing the importance of electing individuals who possess competence, character, capacity, compassion and a strong commitment to public service.
The former presidential candidate also took aim at the recently ended emergency rule in Rivers State, which was lifted on Wednesday by President Bola Tinubu.
He described the six-month intervention as a “constitutional misstep” and a setback to democratic practice.
“The disruption of democratic governance in Rivers State for six months was entirely avoidable. Its restoration, while welcome, remains a troubling chapter in Nigeria’s democratic journey,” Obi noted. “I hope key lessons were learned by all the actors involved.”
He emphasized that true leadership demands the courage to admit errors, learn from them and make necessary corrections to protect the integrity of the democratic system.
