Boma Achenimie 
The 2023 Labour Party (LP) presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has raised concerns over the state of democracy in Nigeria, saying it is collapsing under the current administration.
Obi who made this remark on Monday at the 60th birthday colloquium of former Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Emeka Ihedioha, cited how the presidency intervened when he was impeached as Governor of Anambra State in 2006.
This is coming amid the recent suspension of Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, which has sparked controversy across the country.
He noted that then-President Olusegun Obasanjo dispatched a delegation to halt his impeachment, a move that reflected efforts to uphold democratic principles at the time.
The former governor criticized the current administration, led by President Bola Tinubu, for undermining democratic processes, stating that Nigeria’s democracy, which had been progressing since 1999, is now deteriorating.
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“Some people came and knocked everything down. That is the situation we are in now. Everything has been knocked down. Nothing works,” Obi lamented.
He further compared his experience with the judicial system to the current political climate, asserting that justice and fair governance have become elusive.
“I became a governor through the court when President Obasanjo and Atiku were in government. I did not pay the court one naira. I was sitting in my office, and the court declared me the winner. It can’t happen in Nigeria today,” he said.
Obi also alleged that while previous administrations sought to resolve impeachment crises amicably, the current government appears to be actively orchestrating them.
“When I was being impeached, the president sent people to come and intervene on my behalf. Ken Nnamani came, begging the house (House of Assembly) not to impeach me. Today, the president (Tinubu) is impeaching a person (Fubara),” he added.
His remarks have further fueled the ongoing debate about the state of democracy in Nigeria, with many citizens and political observers expressing concerns over the country’s political future.
