Peter Obi, the Labour Party (LP) presidential candidate for 2023, has challenged Nigerian political leaders to return to a truly democratic society.
Obi made this comment using his verified X account on Wednesday.
The former Anambra State Governor stated that democracy goes beyond elections and involves executing the obligations of responsible administration outlined in the constitution.
He entrusted Nigerian leaders with respecting and protecting democratic institutions by adhering to state laws and being accountable to the people.
The post was issued to honour Nigeria’s Democracy Day.
Obi emphasised that it is feasible to create a real society in which democracy may survive.
“As our dear nation marks Democracy Day today, commemorating 25 years of striving to be a democratic country, the fundamental question for all of us remains: Are we truly democratic?
“As we build a New Nigeria, these tenets shall be the pillars of our true democracy. It is possible,” he noted.
The former presidential candidate also criticised some of the ratings, claiming that they showed the country was not genuinely democratic.
He said:
“To further illustrate that we are not truly democratic and have only produced the vices enumerated above, we are now ranked as follows:
“In the measurement of democracy, we have a democracy index score of 4.23, which ranks us low on the Global Democracy Index. In the Corruption Perception Index, we are ranked 145th among the 180 countries measured, showing a high level of corruption in Nigeria.
“In the Rule of Law Measurement, we are ranked 120th out of 142 countries measured in the World Justice Project (WJP) Rule of Law Index, indicating that Nigeria suffers from gross disobedience to the rule of law.
“The 2024 World Press Freedom Index by Reporters Without Borders (RSF) describes Nigeria as one of West Africa’s most dangerous and difficult countries for journalists.
“Nigeria ranks 112th out of 180 countries where journalists are regularly monitored, attacked, and arbitrarily arrested. We are ranked 109th out of 125 countries measured on the Global Hunger Index.”
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cc: Daily Post Ng
