Peter Obi emphasised that the celebration of June 12 should serve as an opportunity to steer the nation back towards genuine democracy.
Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate, Peter Obi, urged citizens and leaders to uphold democratic institutions by adhering to laws and being accountable.In a social media post on Wednesday, June 12, he stressed that democracy involves more than just elections but also fulfilling governance duties outlined in the constitution.
His remarks coincide with Nigeria’s recent celebration of Democracy Day, as Obi believes in creating an environment conducive to genuine democracy.
“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 wrote.
Obi expressed disappointment with specific ratings, suggesting they reflect shortcomings in the nation’s democratic principles.
“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,” he wrote.