The presidential candidate of the Labour Party, LP, in the 2023 general elections, Peter Obi, has urged the government and all Nigerians to re-examine the democracy practiced in the country, News About Nigeria reports.
He made this call in his democracy message to the country via his verified page on X.
Obi noted that an unexamined life is not worth living, stressing that it is time for Nigerians to re-examine the democracy they have practiced for the past 25 years.
According to him, democracy in Nigeria has deteriorated into a classical state capture, which has become a deprivation to all rather than benefiting the people of the nation.
He opined that the consequences of not being a true democracy have led to leadership failures that have resulted in uncontrolled systemic corruption, high levels of insecurity, a lack of freedom of speech, and increasing poverty rates, among others.
“As our dear nation marks Democracy Day today, commemorating 25 years of striving to be a democratic country, the fundamental question for all of us remains: Are we truly democratic?
“The consequences of not being a true democracy have led to leadership failures that have resulted in uncontrolled systemic corruption, high levels of insecurity, lack of freedom of speech, increasing poverty rates, and unprecedented levels of hunger and hardship, which remain unsolved and are growing geometrically. True democracy should be people-oriented, where the rights of citizens are respected, the laws are obeyed, the leaders remain accountable to the people, and people’s welfare and care, especially for the poor, become paramount and high priorities. Unfortunately, the opposite is the case in our situation,” he stated.
He urged Nigerians to use the commemoration of June 12 as an occasion to return to a truly democratic nation, stating that the nation achieved that feat on June 12, 1993, by collectively voting for democracy in Nigeria.
He appealed to the people to respect and protect the institutions of the democratic state, obey the governing laws of the state, be accountable to the people, and fulfil the responsibilities of responsible governance as contained in the constitution.
According to him, Nigerians must stand in defence of Nigeria’s democracy today.
