Video: How Democracy Collapsed In Nigeria – Peter Obi

The Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has expressed deep concerns over the state of democracy in Nigeria, stating that it has been completely “knocked down.”

Obi made this remark in Abuja during an event honoring former Imo State Governor, Emeka Ihedioha, on his 60th birthday. The gathering took place at the Ladi Kwali Hall of the Abuja Continental Hotel and was chaired by former President Olusegun Obasanjo, with Bishop Matthew Kukah delivering the keynote address.

When asked why he believed Nigeria’s democracy was failing, Obi compared its progress to a building that had been demolished after years of effort:

“Well, if you look at what Bishop Kukah said, he said it’s work in progress. Let me follow my brother when he said about 1999. If you look at where we are today, they started in 1999, laid the foundation. Some people came and took it to a decking and some people were trying to raise it to the first floor.

“And some people came and knocked everything down. That’s the situation we are in now. Everything has been knocked down. Nothing works.”

Reflecting on his own political journey, Obi recalled how he became the governor of Anambra State through the courts without external influence:

“I became a governor through the courts when President Obasanjo and Atiku were in government. I did not pay the court one naira. I was sitting in my house in the office and the court declared me winner. When a governor isn’t hosting them, it can’t happen in Nigeria today.”

He also criticized recent political events in Rivers State, where Governor Siminalayi Fubara and elected officials were removed following a state of emergency. Obi contrasted this with his own impeachment experience:

“When I was being impeached, the president sent people to intervene on my behalf. Ken Nnamani came, begging house people not to impeach me. Today, the president impeaches the person. So that is the thing. So it’s collapsed. So it’s failed. They were begging my house not to impeach me. And they were at PDP. I was in APGA. And they were begging.

“President was calling me and said, Peter, are you okay? Even when I was impeached, President Obasanjo called me and said, are you okay? Are you safe? When I got back from the court, when court eventually declared me under Andy Uba, President Yar’Adua called my phone in London and said, congrats. I said, President, can’t come back because you know if I come back, this people—he said, tell me the flight in which you’re coming back. And I told him.

“When I came in the first time, military people came to receive me at the airport. I couldn’t believe it and took me straight to him. Now the president will ask me not to come back here again. So it failed. Let’s not talk about, let’s talk about how we are going to rebuild it. It’s collapsing.”

Obi’s remarks reflect his growing concerns about the direction of governance in Nigeria, urging a collective effort to restore democratic values and accountability.

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