Former Labour Party (LP) presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has strongly criticized the National Assembly for approving President Bola Tinubu’s declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers State, arguing that true democracy does not exist in Nigeria.
Obi expressed his concerns in a post on his X handle on Friday, stating that democracy cannot thrive in the absence of a functional opposition.
“The parliamentary vote held yesterday clearly demonstrates that democracy, in its true sense, does not exist in Nigeria,” Obi said.
His remarks come after both the Senate and House of Representatives endorsed President Tinubu’s decision to impose a state of emergency in Rivers, despite widespread public opposition. The move also included the suspension of Governor Sim Fubara, his deputy, and all elected members of the Rivers State House of Assembly for six months.
Obi decried the state of governance in Nigeria, arguing that instead of a genuine democracy, the country operates a transactional and compromised system that, in many ways, resembles organized criminality.
He emphasized the importance of a strong opposition in any democratic system, citing countries like South Africa and Indonesia, where proportional representation ensures a more balanced distribution of power.
“In South Africa, for example, the National Assembly has 400 seats. The African National Congress (ANC) received about 40% of the vote and holds roughly 160 seats, while the Democratic Alliance (DA), with 20% of the vote, holds around 80 seats—alongside several other parties. Those who contested the presidential election remain the recognized leaders of their respective parties,” Obi explained.
He pointed out that Nigeria’s democracy suffers due to the absence of laws preventing elected officials from defecting to other parties without consequences, which weakens the opposition and undermines the people’s mandate.
Obi argued that if Nigeria had a fair representation system, the Senate would reflect electoral realities, with the All Progressives Congress (APC) holding 44 seats, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) 33 (under Atiku Abubakar), and the Labour Party 27 (under his leadership). The House of Representatives, he suggested, should also be proportionally structured with approximately 144 APC members, 108 PDP members, and 90 Labour Party members.
However, he lamented that the country’s political structure allows for unchecked party defections, rendering the opposition ineffective and democracy dysfunctional.
“What we are left with is not a genuine democratic system, but one that is transactional, compromised, and, in many respects, resembles organized criminality,” he said.
Despite the challenges, Obi reaffirmed his commitment to the fight for genuine democracy in Nigeria.
“But we will not surrender to criminality. We shall continue to fight for democracy—genuine democracy,” he declared.
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