Former Anambra State Governor and Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has criticized President Bola Tinubu’s administration, lamenting the erosion of democratic values and worsening socio-economic conditions in Nigeria.
In a statement commemorating Democracy Day, Obi declared that Nigeria can no longer be classified as a democratic nation, asserting that the core elements of democracy are now absent.
“We have moved from rigged elections to collapsing social services; from soaring poverty to rising corruption; from a seemingly stable economy to a parlous one,” Obi said. He highlighted the collapse of key development indicators, including education, healthcare, and poverty alleviation.
According to Obi, Nigeria’s GDP has plummeted from $364 billion to $188 billion, nearly a 50% decline. GDP per capita has also dropped from $1,640 to $835. “The number of Nigerians living in multi-dimensional poverty has risen from 38.9% to 54%, with about 129 million people now below the poverty line,” he stated.
Obi lamented the state of education, with over 18.3 million out-of-school children, the highest number globally. “The quality of education is in sharp decline, with students writing national exams under candlelight and without proper learning infrastructure,” he said.
The former governor also criticized the healthcare sector, citing data from the National Primary Health Care Development Agency. “Fewer than 20% of Nigeria’s 30,000 primary health centers are fully functional,” he stated. He noted that in some centers he visited, delivery rooms lacked toilets.
Obi quoted a recent United Nations report ranking Nigeria as the worst country in which to give birth, with one maternal death recorded every seven minutes. “Healthcare has fared no better,” he said. “We need a government that prioritizes the welfare of its people.”
The former governor also slammed the business climate, citing the shutdown of over 7 million small and medium enterprises and the exit of major multinationals. “Over 80 manufacturing companies have ceased operations, and more than 15 major multinationals have exited Nigeria, citing the harsh business environment,” he stated.
Obi accused the administration of institutionalizing corruption and called on President Tinubu to respect the rule of law and constitutional checks and balances. “The 2025 national budget was padded with over ₦7 trillion, according to BudgIT, a civic tech organisation,” he said.
“We need a government that prioritizes the welfare, security, and democracy of its people over empty rhetoric and propaganda,” Obi concluded, urging Nigerians not to lose hope. He called on President Tinubu to take a cue from late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua and President Goodluck Jonathan, who admitted flaws in their electoral processes and conceded defeat, respectively.
“We now have a situation of more tariffs, more darkness,” Obi said, criticizing the power sector. He urged the President to tour all 36 Nigerian states to see firsthand the hardship citizens face, rather than spending nearly 150 days abroad.
