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(H.E. Peter Obi, Former Governor of Anambra State and Labour Party Presidential Candidate in Nigeria 2023 Presidential Election On 12 June 2025).

Today, June 12, is slated as Democracy day. Most unfortunately, in our

present state, our dear country Nigeria cannot be justifiably classified as

a democratic country. The vital indicators of democracy are noticeably

absent. Some do not even exist. Democracy is said to be ‘a government

of the people, by the people, and for the people,’ yet none of these three

measures exist in our democracy today.

Rules, regulations and requirements to participate in elections or be

elected for are not followed, consequently, individuals who are to be

disqualified ab-initio are now holding public offices.

As we mark June 12, a day symbolizing the struggle for true democracy

in Nigeria, it is deeply troubling that under this present administration in

a short span of two years, our nation has witnessed broad erosion of

democratic principles. There has been a corresponding decline in

security and the quality of life for millions of Nigerians. We have

traversed from rigged elections to collapsing social services; from

soaring poverty to rising corruption; and from a seemingly stable

economy to a parlous economy.

It is most troubling that in its two years in office, the present government

has brought the nation to the point where our leaders now celebrate and

endorse failure, lies, and propaganda. The government today, rather than

show genuine accountability and measurable progress, focuses on

manipulating narratives, gaslighting the public, shifting blame and

1 | P a g eweaponizing governance. Meanwhile, Nigerians live in a worsening and

worrisome insecurity, widespread corruption, hunger, and general

despondence. There are no clear benchmarks for measuring tangible

development, as we continue to witness the collapse of key indicators –

like education, healthcare, and poverty alleviation- which are parameters

for measuring national progress.

Simple comparisons of what has happened in the past two years, now

relies on propaganda and misinformation to mask the mis governance.

Our country today can best be described as a nation declining fast in

all its facets. The security of lives and property has worsened, and the

rule of law is virtually non-existent. These are the hard-verifiable facts:

1. On May 29th, 2023, when this government was sworn into office,

Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) stood at $364 billion. As of

today, it has declined to $188 billion, a decline of almost fifty percent

(50%).

2. Nigeria’s GDP per capita was $1,640 as of May 2023, but today it

has dropped drastically to about $835, a devastating decline of about

50%.

3. Nigerians living in multi-dimensional poverty increased from

38.9% to 54% within this period, with about 129 million Nigerians now

living below the poverty line. The World Bank reported recently, that

75% of Nigerians in the rural area now live in poverty as at 2025, and

even more than previously recorded in the urban areas.

4. Our education sector has deteriorated significantly. Today, more

than 18.3 million Nigerian children are out of school, the highest number

in the world. The quality of education in Nigeria is also fast

deteriorating. Many of our children are being taught sciences without

any science lab and computer studies without any computers. Students

are now writing WAEC and other national exams in darkness relying on

candles. There are now even glitches in their exams.

2 | P a g e5. Health services have worsened drastically. The National Primary

Health Care Development Agency decried that less than 20% of over

30,000 Primary Healthcare Centers across the nation are fully functional.

I have even recently visited some Health Centers where delivery rooms

were without toilets. The United Nation recently reported Nigeria as the

world’s worst country to give birth, with one death recorded every seven

minutes.

6. Nigerian businesses continue to collapse at alarming rates. Within

the past two years, approximately 7 million Small and Medium

Enterprises (SMEs) shut down and folded up across Nigeria. Over 80

manufacturing companies have permanently closed their operations.

Funding costs cost of raw materials and energy costs have surged to an

incredible level making these manufacturers shut down. Over 15 major

multinationals (including GlaxoSmithKline, Diageo, Procter & Gamble,

and Shoprite) have exited Nigeria due to the harsh operating

environment.

7. Our hunger crisis arising from food insecurity has deepened in

these 2 years. Based on the Global Hunger Index (GHI) reports,

Nigeria’s hunger situation has taken a hit, as we are now one of the

hungriest countries in the world. Millions can no longer afford food due

to high costs of food and nonexistent disposable income.

8. Our national population is experiencing a mental health crisis as

the mental health and stress level within this period has increased

drastically. Nigeria is now one of the top three (3) most stressed

countries in the world. Fifty nine percent (59%) of Nigeria’s population

are under daily stress. Mental health experts and advocates have warned

the present situation in Nigeria is having extremely adverse effect on the

population as it contributes to anger, anxiety, and depression levels in

the country. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that over

20 million Nigerians are now affected by mental illness.

3 | P a g e9. Despite the trillions of naira purportedly saved from the removal

of fuel subsidies (a policy initially justified as a means to curb

borrowing), this government has, within two years, borrowed far more

money than the administrations of President Umaru Yar’Adua, President

Goodluck Jonathan, and President Muhammadu Buhari combined.

Today, Nigeria’s overall public debt is estimated at close to ₦188

trillion. Nigerians were informed that these borrowed funds would be

allocated to critical sectors of development. Still, there has been no

significant improvement in education, healthcare, or poverty alleviation;

critical sectors that are vitally important for national development.

10. Brazen Corruption is at its worst under this administration. Nigeria

has now become a crime scene. Now our national budget is routinely

inflated and padded without consequences. One of the most glaring

manifestations of this, is the extensive padding of the 2025 national

budget. BudgIT revealed that about ₦7 trillion was questionably inserted

by the National Assembly. These figures suggest a pattern of inflated

costs and misappropriation of funds.

11. Power generation rate which the administration claimed to have

increased is yet another propaganda. The only increases in power are the

excessively high electricity tariffs being paid by Nigerians. The

incessant blackout arising from multiple collapse of the national grid is a

clear indication of the sorry state of our power and electricity industry.

In 2022, the electricity tariff for Nigerian consumers averaged around

₦64 per kilowatt-hour (kWh). By 2025, there has been a substantial

mark up in electricity tariffs, with Nigerians now paying approximately

₦225 per kWh to be in darkness. What we have now is a more-tariffs-

more-darkness situation for our citizens.

Nigerians should not forget the promise of Mr. President while

campaigning on 22nd December 2022: “If I Don’t Give You Constant

Electricity in The Next 4 Years, Don’t Vote For Me For Second

Term.” It’s been 2 years of grid collapses and constant darkness. This is

already midterm of the administration. We look forward to when he will

fulfill this categorical promise.

4 | P a g e12. Unemployment remains alarmingly high in the country. Although

the government has attempted to manipulate the statistics to suit its

narrative, the reality is that unemployment is worsening, especially

amongst youths in their productive age. A majority of Nigerian youths

are “not in education, employment or training” (NEET)

category. Multiple reputable organizations, including the International

Labour Organization (ILO) and the United Nations Development

Programme (UNDP), have cautioned against reliance on the nations’

data, as they are inconsistent with the realities on ground. The ILO has

noted that Nigeria’s youth unemployment and underemployment rates

remain dangerously high. There are also concern on the government’s

reporting unemployment figures without addressing the underlying

employment challenges, as the revised figures do not reflect the true

hardship in the labour market of over forty percent (40%).

Finally, I respectfully appeal to President Tinubu to emulate late

President Umaru Yar’Adua who was honest enough to admit the process

that brought him into office was wrong and not sufficiently credible and

thus insisted on doing what is right to save our democracy. And

similarly, President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan who saved our nascent

democracy by accepting defeat even before the election results were

announced. We must end this troubling governance era that is filled with

impunity, state capture, and absolute disregard for the rule of law and

the checks and balances required of any worthwhile democracy.

Accordingly, this administration must:

1. Start upholding the rule of law and ensure there is transparency and

real progress to the people. The President should stop touring outside

Nigeria and use his remaining 2 years to tour the Nigerian states instead.

Mr. President you have already made over 30 international trips,

spending nearly 150 days abroad. If you tour Nigeria’s 36 states and

dedicates just 2 days to tour each state, it would take only 72 days for

you to do, less than half the time you have already spent outside the

country on foreign trips. You need to go around the country to see

5 | P a g efirsthand what the citizens you are serving are going through. Governing

by remote control is not what Nigerians need.

2. We must endeavour forthwith to end insecurity and resettle all

Nigerians living in Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camps. It is

unacceptable that millions of our fellow citizens remain displaced in

their own homesteads and fatherland, while the rest of us live in

comfort, and some, in opulence.

3 Allow the national electoral body in the country to be truly

independent. The very agency that is supposed to serve as an

independent electoral body for Nigeria elections has lost its neutrality

and credibility and now operates as an extension of the APC

government, thus undermining democracy, eroding public trust, and

turning elections into orchestrated endorsements rather than credible

contests.

4. Aggressively tackle the economic problems by expanding agricultural

and manufacturing productivity, through measures that will secure our

farmers to go back to the farms and reduce production costs for

manufacturers—in order to boost employment, which will, in turn,

contribute to the nation’s growth and generate even more revenue for the

government. This is a better approach than attempting to increase taxes

in an unproductive economy, which will only lead to less growth.

This is time to stop the propaganda and lies and let us make Nigeria the

democratic nation that it supposed to be.

I respectfully call on all Nigerians not to give up, but to put all hands on

deck. Now is the time to demand accountability, genuine leadership, and

a government that prioritizes the welfare, security and democracy of its

people over empty rhetoric and propaganda.

A New Nigeria is POssible.

God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria