Former presidential candidate and Labour Party (LP) leader, Peter Obi, has accused President Bola Tinubu of presiding over the “decline of democracy” and the worst era of governance in the country.
In a statement titled “Democracy in Decline: Reflecting on Two Years of Tinubu’s Governance,” Obi said the Tinubu-led government had failed in virtually every index of democratic accountability, economic stability, and national cohesion.
“Democracy is said to be ‘a government of the people, by the people, and for the people,’ yet none of these three measures exist in our democracy today,” Obi declared.
“The vital indications of democracy are noticeably absent. Some do not even exist.”
Obi’s comments were in response to President Tinubu’s address to a joint session of the National Assembly earlier in the day, where the President outlined his administration’s achievements and reaffirmed his commitment to democratic principles.
“It is most troubling that in its two years in office, the present government has brought the nation to the point where our leaders now celebrate and endorse failure, lies, and propaganda,” he said.
“Rather than show genuine accountability and measurable progress, the government focuses on manipulating narratives, gaslighting the public, shifting blame, and weaponizing governance.”
Obi further criticized President Tinubu’s frequent foreign trips, accusing him of governing “by remote control” and failing to engage directly with the problems facing everyday Nigerians.
“Mr. President, you have already made over 30 international trips, spending nearly 150 days abroad. If you tour Nigeria’s 36 states and dedicate just 2 days to each state, it would take only 72 days—less than half the time you’ve spent outside the country,” he argued.
“You need to go around the country to see and feel what Nigerians are going through.”
The LP leader also raised concerns over democratic integrity, calling for electoral reforms and transparency.
“Rules, regulations and requirements to participate in elections are not followed. Consequently, individuals who ought to have been disqualified ab initio are now holding public office,” Obi lamented.
He appealed to President Tinubu to emulate late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua, who, despite benefiting from a flawed electoral process in 2007, publicly acknowledged its shortcomings and committed to reforms.
“President Yar’Adua was honest enough to admit the process that brought him into office was flawed. He began the process of reform. That is what true leadership looks like.”
Obi painted a bleak picture of Nigeria’s economic trajectory under the APC-led government, citing data from global institutions and national agencies.
“On May 29, 2023, when this administration was sworn in, Nigeria’s GDP stood at $364 billion. Today, it has declined to $188 billion—a nearly 50% drop,” Obi said. “GDP per capita fell from $1,640 to $835. Over 129 million Nigerians are now living in multi-dimensional poverty.”
He continued, “Within the past two years, approximately 7 million SMEs have shut down. Over 80 manufacturing companies have closed. Fifteen multinational corporations have exited Nigeria. And the situation continues to deteriorate.”
According to Obi, Nigeria is also facing a social crisis of “worsening health indicators, collapsing education, and surging mental health stress”.
“Today, over 18.3 million Nigerian children are out of school—the highest number in the world. Many are studying sciences without labs and computers without any access to a single device,” he stated.
“Our healthcare system is on life support. Less than 20% of our 30,000 Primary Health Care Centres are fully functional. The UN recently named Nigeria the worst country in the world to give birth.”
He added that widespread hunger and stress are pushing millions to the brink.
“Fifty-nine percent of our population is under daily psychological stress. Nigeria is now one of the three most depressed nations in the world, according to WHO estimates.”
Peter Obi further accused the Tinubu administration of “presiding over brazen corruption and reckless fiscal mismanagement,” referencing allegations of extensive budget padding in the 2025 appropriation bill.
“BudgIT revealed that about ₦7 trillion was questionably inserted by the National Assembly. This suggests a pattern of inflated costs and misappropriation of funds,” he said.
On public debt, Obi warned that despite the removal of the fuel subsidy, the government has borrowed excessively.
“In just two years, this administration has borrowed more money than the combined totals of Presidents Yar’Adua, Jonathan, and Buhari. Yet, we see no corresponding impact in health, education, or poverty alleviation.”
-Obi warned that Nigeria is at risk of losing its democratic soul if urgent reforms are not implemented.
“We must end this troubling governance era filled with impunity, state capture, and absolute disregard for the rule of law,” he said. “Our country today can no longer be justly classified as a democratic nation. The time to act is now.”