Opposition leaders Atiku Abubakar and Peter Obi have declared that Nigeria can no longer be described as a functioning democracy under President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
In separate statements marking Democracy Day on Thursday, the former vice president and the 2023 Labour Party presidential candidate accused the federal government of undermining democratic principles, suppressing dissent, and steering the country toward authoritarian rule.
Atiku: Nigeria on the Brink of One-Party Rule
Atiku described the current state of governance as the “lowest ebb in Nigeria’s democratic journey,” warning that a creeping one-party dictatorship was erasing the democratic gains made since 1999.
“What we are witnessing is not governance; it is conquest,” Atiku said, adding that the APC-led government was silencing opposition and dismantling democratic institutions.
He reflected on the June 12 struggle, honoring figures like MKO Abiola, Kudirat Abiola, Shehu Musa Yar’Adua, and Alfred Rewane, who sacrificed for Nigeria’s democratic future. According to him, their efforts are now being betrayed by an increasingly autocratic system.
Obi: Democratic Values Rapidly Deteriorating
Peter Obi echoed similar concerns, asserting that “Nigeria cannot be classified as a democratic country” due to the erosion of electoral integrity and democratic institutions.
“Democracy is meant to be a government of the people, by the people, and for the people. None of these exist in today’s Nigeria,” he said.
Obi cited failures in the electoral system and public service delivery, stating that unqualified individuals now occupy public office. He also presented damning statistics: GDP dropped from $364 billion in May 2023 to $188 billion. Per capita income fell from $1,640 to $835. The poverty rate rose from 38.9% to 54%; 129 million Nigerians now live below the poverty line 18.3 million children are out of school, the highest globally.
Furthermore, “From rigged elections to rising poverty and collapsing education, the government is focused on manipulating narratives instead of solving problems,” Obi said.
In a related statement, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) warned Nigerians about an alleged plan by the APC and President Tinubu to establish a one-party regime.
PDP National Publicity Secretary Debo Ologunagba urged citizens, civil society, and global partners to resist what he called the erosion of democracy, referencing the appointment of a sole administrator in Rivers State as one example.
“June 12 should reawaken national resistance to these anti-democratic tendencies,” the PDP stated.
