As Nigeria marked this year’s Democracy Day on June 12, former Anambra State Governor and Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate, Mr. Peter Obi, issued a strongly worded statement lamenting what he described as the steady erosion of democratic values and the worsening socio-economic conditions under President Bola Tinubu’s administration. In a public address commemorating the day, Obi declared that Nigeria can no longer be justifiably classified as a democratic nation, asserting that the core elements of democracy – government by the people, for the people, and of the people – are now glaringly absent.
Obi decried the persistent disregard for electoral rules, where regulations governing eligibility for public office are flouted, leading to the emergence of leaders who, in his words, ought to have been disqualified from the outset. Reflecting on the state of the nation two years into the Tinubu administration, he pointed to what he described as a broad collapse of democratic principles, worsening security, economic stagnation, and increasing levels of poverty and despair among Nigerians.
“In just two years,” Obi said, “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. This government has created a situation where failure, lies, and propaganda are now celebrated. Instead of accountability and measurable progress, we are witnessing the manipulation of narratives, blame-shifting, and governance by gaslighting.”
He raised alarm over the collapse of key development indicators, including education, healthcare, and poverty alleviation, noting that there is no transparent framework for measuring or achieving progress. According to him, comparisons with the past are now based on propaganda rather than factual evidence. He said the security situation has worsened, the rule of law is almost non-existent, and corruption has deepened.
Obi cited specific economic data to support his claims. He stated that Nigeria’s GDP, which stood at $364 billion when the Tinubu administration took over in May 2023, has plummeted to $188 billion – nearly a 50% decline. Similarly, GDP per capita has dropped from $1,640 to $835. He also revealed that 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. In rural areas, 75% of Nigerians live in poverty, according to recent World Bank figures.
On education, Obi lamented that Nigeria now has over 18.3 million out-of-school children – the highest number globally. He said the quality of education is in sharp decline, with students writing national exams under candlelight and without proper learning infrastructure. Healthcare, he added, has fared no better. He cited data from the National Primary Health Care Development Agency, which revealed that fewer than 20% of Nigeria’s 30,000 primary health centres are fully functional. He noted that in some centres he visited, delivery rooms lacked toilets. He 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.
On the business climate, Obi pointed out that over 7 million small and medium enterprises have shut down in the past two years. Over 80 manufacturing companies have ceased operations, and more than 15 major multinationals – including GlaxoSmithKline, Diageo, and Procter & Gamble – have exited Nigeria, citing the harsh business environment. He stated that the removal of fuel subsidies, initially justified as a measure to reduce borrowing, has not yielded tangible development. Instead, he said, the government has borrowed more than previous administrations combined, with Nigeria’s public debt now nearing ₦188 trillion. Yet, he claimed, there has been no visible improvement in critical sectors like education and healthcare.
Obi accused the administration of institutionalising corruption, noting that the 2025 national budget was padded with over ₦7 trillion, according to BudgIT, a civic tech organisation. He further described the power sector as another area plagued by false claims and poor delivery. Rather than increased power supply, he said Nigerians have only seen increased tariffs. In 2022, the average electricity tariff was ₦64 per kilowatt-hour; by 2025, it had risen to about ₦225 per kWh, despite constant grid collapses. “We now have a situation of more tariffs, more darkness,” Obi said.
Obi reminded Nigerians of President Tinubu’s campaign promise on 22 December 2022: “If I don’t give you constant electricity in the next four years, don’t vote for me for second term.” He observed that two years into that promise, the nation is still plagued by blackouts and grid failures.
On employment, Obi rejected the government’s revised unemployment figures, accusing it of manipulating data to paint a false picture. He said that most Nigerian youths fall into the NEET category – not in education, employment, or training – and international organisations such as the ILO and UNDP have questioned the credibility of the country’s labour statistics. According to him, youth unemployment and underemployment remain dangerously high.
Appealing directly to President Tinubu, Obi urged him to take a cue from late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua, who admitted that the process that brought him to power was flawed, and from President Goodluck Jonathan, who conceded defeat to safeguard Nigeria’s democracy. Obi called on the President to end impunity and respect the rule of law and constitutional checks and balances.
Among the reforms he recommended were an end to international tours, urging the President to instead tour all 36 Nigerian states to see firsthand the hardship citizens face. He said this would take only 72 days—less than half of the nearly 150 days the President has already spent abroad. Obi also called for the resettlement of internally displaced persons, restoration of electoral integrity by ensuring INEC’s independence, and the implementation of genuine economic reforms that focus on increasing agricultural and industrial productivity rather than imposing more taxes on a struggling populace.
He ended his statement with a clarion call to Nigerians not to lose hope. “Now is the time to demand accountability, genuine leadership, and a government that prioritises the welfare, security, and democracy of its people over empty rhetoric and propaganda,” he concluded.