Victor EzejaFormer Anambra State Governor, Mr Peter Obi has expressed concerns about the collapse of democratic institutions in Nigeria.
Obi, who was a guest at the 60th birthday ceremony of former Imo State Governor, Emeka Ihedioha, stated that those who returned the country to civilian rule in 1999 laid the foundation for democracy, while others who came later raised the bar, but today, some political leaders have collapsed the system.
Join our WhatsApp ChannelSpeaking during a panel session that was part of the event, Obi highlighted the situation of governance in Nigeria when became the governor of Anambra State comparing it with what is happening today.
Obi said he won his stolen mandate as governor through the court and didn’t pay a dime to anybody to win but such can’t happen in the country today.
“I became a governor through the court when President Obasanjo and Atiku Abubakar were in government. I did not pay the court one naira. I was sitting in my house and the court declared me the winner and I became the governor. It can’t happen in Nigeria today,” Obi stated.
Obi, who was the presidential candidate of the Labour Party in the 2023 general election, further described how he received unexpected support during his impeachment by the Anambra State House of Assembly.
“When I was being impeached, the president sent people to come and intervene on my behalf. Ken Nnamani came begging the House not to impeach me. Today, the president impeaches the person. They were begging my house not to impeach me, and they were in PDP; I was in APGA. So, everything has collapsed.”
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According to him, then President Obasanjo was calling him to know how he was doing while the impeachment process was going on.
He further stated that when the court finally declared him winner, he initially hesitated to return to Nigeria from London for fear of insecurity but President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua called to congratulate him and ensured that military people were deployed to guard him right from the airport.
“And when the Court eventually declared me winner under President Yar’Adua, he called my phone in London, saying, ‘Congrats. l said, ‘President, I can’t come back because of these people.’ He said, ‘Tell me the flight you are coming back on,’ and I told him. And when I returned, the military people came to receive me at the airport. I couldn’t believe it. And they took me straight to him,” Obi stated.
“Now, the president will ask me not to come back here again. So, the system has failed,” he added, apparently making reference to recent developments in Rivers State where the president last week declared a state of emergency, suspended the governor, his deputy and members of the State House of Assembly, and appointed a sole administrator.
Obi further stated that the focus of discussion now should be on how to rebuild the system.
Victor Ezeja is a passionate journalist with seven years of experience writing on economy, politics and energy. He holds a Master's degree in Mass Communication.
