“Obi: Nigeria’s Democracy Struggling to Address Poverty and Basic Needs”
Peter Obi, the presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in the 2023 election, has warned that Nigeria’s democracy is fast losing its essence due to the deep-rooted poverty afflicting the nation.
In a post on his X handle on Monday, Obi expressed alarm at the staggering number of Nigerians living in poverty, a situation that he believes democracy should have worked to alleviate. “With about 100 million Nigerians living in absolute poverty and 150 million facing multidimensional poverty, democracy is failing if it doesn’t address these critical issues,” Obi tweeted.
He emphasized that the primary function of democracy is to improve the lives of its citizens, particularly in key sectors like health, education, and poverty alleviation. Obi called on the country’s leaders to confront poverty head-on by prioritizing the strengthening of independent institutions and delivering tangible economic progress.
“We must ask ourselves: Is democracy truly meeting the needs of Nigerians?” Obi said. “Are we building institutions that uphold accountability, justice, and fairness? A functional democracy requires strong institutions, good governance that drives economic and social progress, and active citizenship that holds leaders accountable.”
Quoting the words of Nelson Mandela, Obi reminded Nigerians that as long as poverty, injustice, and inequality persist, none of us can truly rest. He urged for a renewed focus on deepening democracy and building a better future for all citizens.
Obi further stressed the need for Africa’s democracies to operate beyond the ceremonial nature of elections. For democracy to thrive, it must be rooted in the trust of its people, with institutions that respect the will of the populace. “Governance can only deliver meaningful benefits when the will of the people prevails,” he concluded.
In the context of increasing coups and the fragility of democracies around the world, Obi underscored that democracy cannot survive without a commitment to the welfare of the people and strong institutions to support it.
