Nigeria’s democracy dying, hijacked by political elites – Peter Obi

Former Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi has said Nigeria’s democracy is dying.

Obi made the comment on Wednesday after participating in the Goodluck Jonathan Foundation Annual Democracy Dialogue in Accra, Ghana.

He said the system no longer serves the people or holds leaders accountable.

“Democracy is fundamentally about accountability, prioritising service to the people, ensuring security, providing education and healthcare, and lifting people out of poverty,” Obi wrote in a statement on his X page.

He added that democracy fails when leaders neglect citizens’ needs.

“Democracy dies when it ceases to be accountable to the people and when it no longer prioritises their needs,” he said.

Obi described Nigeria as a typical example of this decline.

He stated: “Nigeria is a typical example of where democracy is dying because it no longer serves the needs of the people and is no longer accountable to them.

“In Nigeria, democracy has become a process of elite state capture, granting access to public resources for personal and family interests.”

Despite his concerns, Obi expressed optimism that the country can still be rebuilt.

“To reverse this situation, Nigerians must take democracy and elections seriously by ensuring that only people with competence, capacity, character, compassion, and commitment to service are elected,” he said.