A recent statement by the presidential candidate of the Labour Party in the 2023 general elections, Peter Obi, at the Emeka Ihedioha Colloquium, has sparked significant controversy, particularly attracting criticism from the Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga.
Obi, who has been vocal about Nigeria’s political landscape, declared that the state of governance in the country had reached a critical point, lamenting the collapse of democracy.
According to Obi, “Democracy has collapsed in Nigeria. Everything has been knocked down. We are in a situation where we should stop lamenting and start rebuilding.”
In his address, Obi pointed to the ongoing political turmoil in Rivers State, particularly the suspension of Governor Siminalayi Fubara by the state assembly, as clear evidence of the country’s failing democratic institutions.
He argued that such incidents exemplify a broader breakdown of the rule of law and democratic governance, suggesting that the political unrest was reflective of a deeper structural issue within the nation’s governance.
In response to Obi’s harsh critique of Nigeria’s democracy, Onanuga took to (formerly Twitter) to dismiss Obi’s comments as exaggerated and unfounded.
Onanuga countered that while Nigeria faces political challenges, Obi’s description of the country’s democracy as having collapsed was misleading and overly dramatic.
Charging Obi to watch what he say, Onanuga wrote, “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, have been made without deep reflection and lack a solid logical foundation.
“How can a democracy that has strengthened over the past 26 years be said to have collapsed? Only a discontented and disgruntled Peter, who benefits from the very free speech democracy provides, could perceive such a democratic downfall through his lens.
“If democracy had indeed collapsed, as Peter claims, and we were living under a regime antithetical to democratic principles, he would not have been able to make his comments on Monday at Emeka Ihedioha’s colloquium. I will urge him to watch what he says and restrain himself from playing to the gallery.”
