The presidency has responded to remarks made by Peter Obi, the Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate, cautioning him against making statements that could misrepresent Nigeria’s democratic state.
Speaking at the colloquium held in Abuja to mark the 60th birthday of former Imo State Governor Emeka Ihedioha, Obi asserted that Nigeria’s democracy had deteriorated beyond recognition.
“Democracy has collapsed in Nigeria. Everything has been knocked down. We are in a situation where we should stop lamenting and start rebuilding,” Obi declared.
He cited recent political tensions in Rivers State, particularly the crisis surrounding the suspension of Governor Siminalayi Fubara, as evidence of the nation’s failing democratic structures. Obi also referenced his own past legal battle when he was impeached as Anambra State Governor but reinstated by the courts—contrasting it with today’s governance, which he believes lacks such judicial integrity.
Reacting to Obi’s statement, President Bola Tinubu’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, dismissed the claims, arguing that Nigeria’s democracy remains intact.
“I listened multiple times to former Governor Peter Obi’s statement in this clip, where he claims that democracy has collapsed in Nigeria. His hyperbolic remarks, suited for headlines, lack a solid logical foundation,” Onanuga wrote on social media.
He contended that Nigeria’s democracy has been strengthening for over 26 years and that if democracy had indeed collapsed, Obi would not have the freedom to make such public statements.
“If we were under a regime that was truly undemocratic, Obi would not have been able to voice his opinion so freely at Ihedioha’s colloquium,” Onanuga argued.
Onanuga further urged Obi to be more responsible with his words and avoid sensationalism.
“I will urge him to watch what he says and restrain himself from playing to the gallery,” he cautioned.
