Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has raised concerns over what he described as the steady decline of democratic institutions in Nigeria, warning that the country is approaching a stage where it may no longer be appropriate to describe its system as a functioning democracy.
Obi made the remarks in a post shared on his X account on Wednesday following his participation at a dialogue organised by the Goodluck Jonathan Foundation in Bauchi.
The event, themed “Beyond Elections: Can Political Parties and the Judiciary Save African Democracy?”, brought together political leaders and stakeholders to discuss the future of democratic governance on the continent.
According to Obi, it was the fifth time he had honoured the Foundation’s invitation to participate in its dialogue series.
He expressed appreciation to former President Goodluck Jonathan for what he described as his commitment to promoting democracy and good governance across Africa.
“I thank President Goodluck Jonathan for his selfless sacrifice and unwavering commitment to building a better Nigeria and a better Africa,” Obi said.
He also commended former President Olusegun Obasanjo, who chaired the event, for his continued contributions to peace, unity and justice on the continent, while acknowledging Bauchi State Governor Bala Mohammed for hosting the dialogue.
Reflecting on the state of Nigeria’s democracy, Obi recalled his legal battle over the Anambra State governorship election, saying the judiciary at the time acted independently and upheld the will of the people.
“I recalled how I approached the courts when I believed my mandate had been stolen in Anambra. At that time, the judiciary demonstrated the independence expected of an arm of government. It upheld the law and restored the will of the people, without any relationship whatsoever between me and the judges who handled the matter. That was democracy at work,” he stated.
Obi, however, argued that public confidence in democratic institutions has weakened over the years.
“Today, however, those who break the law are often the first to tell you to ‘go to court,'” he said.
The former Anambra State governor also criticised the country’s electoral process, alleging that the electoral management body has increasingly faced accusations of enabling electoral malpractice.
“Our electoral management body, staffed by highly educated Nigerians, including many professors, is increasingly accused of enabling electoral malpractice and the emergence of people who are not qualified or do not possess the mandate of the people,” he said.
He further expressed concern over the role of other institutions in the democratic process.
“Our lawmakers have removed forgery as an electoral offence, while some senior advocates appear to defend or normalise actions that should ordinarily attract condemnation. Our religious leaders sometimes pray for blessings upon political actors accused of misappropriating the commonwealth. And, most troubling of all, we now hear allegations of judges chanting, ‘On your mandate we shall stand.'”
According to Obi, such developments threaten the foundations of democratic governance.
“When the very institutions established to protect democracy begin to accommodate its destruction, we must stop pretending that everything is normal.”
Calling for national introspection, Obi cited the Greek philosopher Socrates, saying: “The unexamined life is not worth living.”
He added: “A nation, too, must examine itself if it intends to survive.”
The former presidential candidate urged Nigerians to confront what he described as institutional decline and work towards rebuilding the country’s democratic values.
“We must halt this drift towards institutional decay and redirect our attention towards building a country that we and the generations that come after us, can be proud of.”
He ended his message with his familiar refrain: “A New Nigeria is POssible.”