Rivers State: Nigeria’s Democracy Resembles Organized Criminality – Peter Obi

The 2023 presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP), Peter Obi, has condemned the transactional nature of politics in Nigeria.

Speaking via a statement on Friday released on his X account, Obi submitted that the overwhelming approval given on Thursday by the National Assembly to the state of emergency declared by President Bola Tinubu shows the country lacks true democracy.

Naijaonpoint reports that before the National Assembly approved the declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers State, there were fears that opposition lawmakers may move against the president’s declaration and prevent the two-third majority needed to get parliamentary approval.

However, there was no major opposition to the declaration when the matter came up for hearing in both chambers of the National Assembly on Thursday.

Speaking against this backdrop, Ob explained that there is no real democracy when the opposition can not thrive, as a functional opposition is what holds the ruling party accountable and offers reasonable alternatives to the citizens.

The former Anambra State Governor also submitted that a situation where politicians defect freely without any consequence weakens democratic institutions, the opposition and undermines the will of the people.

While comparing Nigeria to South Africa and Indonesia, Peter Obi, however, added that the fight to entrench real democracy in Nigeria would continue despite the current state of things and called for urgent reforms.

“The parliamentary vote held yesterday clearly demonstrates that democracy, in its true sense, does not exist in Nigeria. Where there is no functional opposition, democracy cannot thrive.

“Opposition is a critical pillar of any democratic system. It ensures that the right things are done, holds the ruling party accountable, and offers alternative viewpoints. However, an effective opposition can only exist within a system that supports proportional representation—an approach practised in countries like South Africa and Indonesia.

“In South Africa, for example, the National Assembly has 400 seats. The African National Congress (ANC) received about 40% of the vote and holds approximately 160 seats, while the Democratic Alliance (DA), with about 20% of the vote, holds around 80 seats—alongside several other parties. Those who contested the presidential election remain the recognised leaders of their respective parties.

“A similar situation exists in Indonesia and other countries where democracy is genuinely practised. As is the norm in such systems, laws prohibit elected officials from switching parties without forfeiting their seats. This helps maintain party discipline and preserves the sanctity of the electoral mandate. These mechanisms contribute to a more balanced, accountable, and credible democratic process.

“If that were the case in Nigeria, our Senate—comprising 109 seats—would be more reflective of electoral realities, with the APC holding 44 seats, the PDP 33 (under the leadership of Atiku), and the Labour Party 27 (under my leadership). Ideally, the House of Representatives should mirror this balance, with approximately 144 APC members, 108 PDP members, and 90 Labour Party members. But this is far from the case. The absence of laws restricting party defection allows politicians to switch allegiances freely and without consequence. This not only weakens the opposition but also makes a mockery of the electorate’s will and undermines the integrity of our democratic institutions.

“What we are left with is not a genuine democratic system, but one that is transactional, compromised, and, in many respects, resembles organised criminality. Unless we urgently implement reforms to entrench true democratic principles, enforce party discipline, and ensure fair representation, Nigeria’s democracy will remain fragile and dysfunctional.

“But we will not surrender to criminality. We shall continue to fight for democracy—genuine democracy,”