March 25, 2025
The presidency has responded sharply to former Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi’s recent comments suggesting that Nigeria’s democracy is collapsing under President Bola Tinubu.
Obi made the assertion while criticizing the suspension of Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara by President Tinubu. Speaking at the 60th birthday celebration of former Imo State Governor Emeka Ihedioha, Obi lamented that past administrations had built democratic institutions, but recent actions had “knocked everything down.”
In response, Presidential spokesperson Bayo Onanuga dismissed Obi’s remarks as “hyperbolic” and “lacking in logical foundation.”
“I listened multiple times to former Governor Peter Obi’s statement in this clip, where he claims that democracy has collapsed in Nigeria. His hyperbolic remarks, designed for headlines, lack deep reflection and a solid logical foundation,” Onanuga wrote on X.
The presidency further argued that Obi’s ability to freely express such criticisms proves that democracy remains intact.
“If democracy had indeed collapsed, as Peter claims, and we were living under a regime that opposed democratic principles, he would not have been able to make his comments on Monday at Emeka Ihedioha’s colloquium,” Onanuga added.
Obi, however, stood by his statement, recalling his experience as a former governor and how democratic principles functioned during the administrations of former Presidents Olusegun Obasanjo and Atiku Abubakar. He cited his impeachment ordeal, stating that the government at the time sought reconciliation rather than direct intervention.
“They started in 1999 and laid the foundation. Some people came and added a decking, others tried to raise it to the first floor, but then some people came and knocked everything down,” Obi said.
He argued that Nigeria’s democratic processes have deteriorated to the point where court decisions and political processes are no longer independent.
The exchange highlights the growing tensions between the Tinubu administration and opposition figures, particularly over governance and the rule of law.