Peter Obi Urges Tinubu to Emulate Yar’Adua, Jonathan in Saving Nigeria’s Democracy on June 12
LAGOS, Nigeria – June, 2025 – In a powerful statement marking Nigeria’s Democracy Day, Peter Obi, the Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate, called on President Bola Tinubu to emulate former Presidents Umaru Yar’Adua and Goodluck Jonathan, whom he credited with safeguarding Nigeria’s democracy. Obi’s remarks, delivered in a national broadcast titled “Democracy in Decline: Reflecting on Two Years of Tinubu’s Governance,” highlighted concerns over the state of democratic principles under the current administration.
Obi praised Yar’Adua for his honesty in acknowledging the flaws in the 2007 electoral process that brought him to power and for initiating reforms to strengthen democracy. He also lauded Jonathan for conceding defeat in the 2015 election, even before final results were announced, a move Obi said preserved Nigeria’s nascent democracy. “President Tinubu should 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 insisted on doing what is right to save our democracy,” Obi stated. He added, “Similarly, President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan saved our democracy by accepting defeat even before the election result was announced.”
The former Anambra State governor expressed deep concern over what he described as a troubling era of governance marked by “impunity, state capture, and absolute disregard for the rule of law.” Obi argued that Nigeria cannot be justifiably classified as a democratic nation, citing the absence of vital democratic indicators, such as adherence to electoral rules and accountability. He pointed out that individuals who should be disqualified from holding public office are currently in power, undermining the democratic process.
Obi also criticized the Tinubu administration’s economic policies, noting that despite the removal of fuel subsidies—initially justified to curb borrowing—the government has borrowed more in two years than the combined administrations of Yar’Adua, Jonathan, and Muhammadu Buhari. “Today, Nigeria’s overall public debt is estimated at close to ₦188 trillion, yet there has been no significant improvement in education, healthcare, or poverty alleviation,” Obi said. He further highlighted allegations of corruption, including budget padding in the 2025 appropriation bill, and described Nigeria as a “crime scene” due to rampant mismanagement.
In a direct appeal to the President, Obi urged Tinubu to reduce international trips and engage more with Nigerians by touring the country’s 36 states to witness citizens’ hardships firsthand. “If you tour Nigeria’s 36 states and dedicate just two days to each state, it would take only 72 days—less than half the time you’ve spent outside the country,” Obi remarked, accusing the President of governing “by remote control.”
Obi’s statement also addressed the broader socio-economic challenges facing Nigeria, including a mental health crisis, with 59% of the population under daily stress and over 20 million Nigerians affected by mental illness, according to the World Health Organization. He noted that Nigeria’s GDP has nearly halved since Tinubu took office, dropping from $364 billion to $188 billion, while over 129 million Nigerians now live in multi-dimensional poverty.
As Nigeria commemorates June 12, a day symbolizing the struggle for democracy sparked by the annulment of the 1993 presidential election, Obi called for urgent reforms to restore electoral integrity and public trust. He urged Nigerians to remain resilient and not lose hope, emphasizing the need for collective action to rebuild a truly democratic nation.
