Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has warned that democracy in Nigeria is under serious threat due to lack of accountability and failure to meet the needs of the people.
Speaking on Tuesday, 17 September, at the 2025 Goodluck Jonathan Foundation Annual Democracy Dialogue in Accra, Ghana, Obi addressed the theme “What Makes Democracy Die?” He argued that true democracy is defined by accountability, service to the people, provision of security, education, healthcare, and poverty reduction.
“Democracy dies when it ceases to be accountable to the people and when it no longer prioritises their needs,” Obi said. He described Nigeria as a typical example of a democracy in decline, accusing political elites of capturing state resources for personal and family interests.
He urged Nigerians to take democracy and elections more seriously, stressing the need to elect leaders with competence, capacity, character, compassion, and commitment to service.
