Obi criticises Nigeria’s democratic system, calls for reforms

Former Labour Party (LP) presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has criticised Nigeria’s current democratic system, as transactional and lacking true opposition.

His remarks followed yesterday’s endorsement of President BolaTinubu declaration of emergency rule in Rivers State by members of the National Assembly.

Obi who was disappointed that opposition lawmakers could not resist the undemocratic stance of the president expressed concerns about the future of democracy in Nigeria.

In a statement on Friday via X, Obi argued that democracy cannot thrive without a functional opposition.

He stressed that a lack of proportional representation in Nigeria’s legislature weakens accountability and distorts electoral outcomes.

“Where there is no functional opposition, democracy cannot thrive. Opposition is a critical pillar of any democratic system. It ensures that the right things are done, holds the ruling party accountable, and offers alternative viewpoints,” Obi stated.

Obi compared Nigeria’s political structure to those of South Africa and Indonesia, where he said that proportional representation allows multiple parties to maintain their electoral mandates.

He pointed out that in South Africa, the African National Congress (ANC), which won about 40% of the vote, holds around 160 of the 400 parliamentary seats, while the Democratic Alliance (DA), with 20% of the vote, holds about 80 seats.

“In such systems, laws prohibit elected officials from switching parties without forfeiting their seats. This helps maintain party discipline and preserves the sanctity of the electoral mandate,” Obi said.

He argued that if Nigeria operated under a similar structure, the current Senate composition would be more representative of electoral outcomes, with the All Progressives Congress (APC) holding 44 seats, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) under Atiku Abubakar leading with 33 seats, and the Labour Party holding 27 seats.

“But this is far from the case. The absence of laws restricting party defection allows politicians to switch allegiances freely and without consequence. This not only weakens the opposition but also makes a mockery of the electorate’s will and undermines the integrity of our democratic institutions,” Obi lamented.

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The former Anambra State governor warned that unless urgent reforms were implemented to enforce party discipline and ensure fair representation, Nigeria’s democracy would remain fragile and dysfunctional.

“What we are left with is not a genuine democratic system, but one that is transactional, compromised, and, in many respects, resembles organised criminality,” he said.

Obi further said that he is committed to advocating for democratic reforms.

“But we will not surrender to criminality. We shall continue to fight for democracy—genuine democracy,” he said.

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