Presidency Issues Warning to Peter Obi Over His Comments on Nigeria’s Democracy Amid Divided Opinions
Presidency Issues Warning to Peter Obi Over His Comments on Nigeria’s Democracy Amid Divided Opinions
The Nigerian Presidency issued a warning on Tuesday to Peter Obi, the Labour Party’s 2023 Presidential Candidate, regarding his recent comments about the state of democracy in Nigeria. The remarks elicited mixed reactions from political and religious leaders, as well as activists.
During a colloquium celebrating the 60th birthday of former Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Chief Emeka Ihedioha, Obi, alongside former President Olusegun Obasanjo, ex-Sokoto Governor Aminu Tambuwal, and Bishop Matthew Kukah, expressed concerns about the functionality of democracy under President Bola Tinubu. Obi likened Nigeria’s democratic trajectory since 1999 to a “demolished building,” stating, “It is like they started in 1999, laid the foundation; some people came and took it to the decking; and some people were trying to raise it to the first floor; and some people came and knocked everything down. That is the situation we are in right now. Everything has been knocked down. Nothing works.”
In response, presidential aide Bayo Onanuga cautioned Obi to be mindful of his statements. Onanuga described Obi’s characterization of Nigeria’s democracy as exaggerated and lacking a solid rationale, claiming that democracy has actually strengthened over 26 years. “If democracy had indeed collapsed, he would not have been able to express his views so freely,” Onanuga argued, suggesting that Obi’s discontent reflects a personal grievance rather than an accurate assessment of the political landscape.
The Obidient Movement, representing Obi’s supporters, countered Onanuga’s statements, accusing the Tinubu administration of fostering a dictatorial atmosphere. Nana Kazaure, the movement’s Director of Strategic Communications, criticized Onanuga’s warning as intolerant and suggested that the administration’s focus on silencing dissent rather than improving governance has been a failure. They warned that any harm to Obi or his associates would lead to accountability for those in power.
Conversely, former Senate President Adolphus Wabara and Methodist Archbishop Raphael Opoko supported the idea that democracy is faltering in Nigeria. Wabara expressed disappointment in the current political system, describing it as a distorted version of democracy, while Opoko termed it a ‘selectocracy’—governance by a select few for a select few. Wabara emphasized a collective lack of understanding about the essence of true democracy in the country.
