Peter Obi, presidential candidate of the 2023 Labour Party (LP) has criticised the national assembly for endorsing President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s declaration of emergency rule in Rivers state.
Gatekeepers News reports that Obi in a statement on X on Friday said the approval exposed the fragility of Nigeria’s democracy, that is “transactional and devoid of genuine opposition.”
He said, “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.”
“What we are left with is not a genuine democratic system, but one that is transactional, compromised, and, in many respects, resembles organised criminality.”
Comparing Nigeria’s system with those of South Africa and Indonesia, Obi noted that that proportional representation in those countries ensures fair seat allocation and prevents lawmakers from defecting parties without consequences.
According to him; if Nigeria adopted similar mechanisms, the senate’s 109 seats would reflect a more balanced distribution of 44 for the All Progressives Congress (APC), 33 for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), and 27 for the LP.
The politician said the house of representatives should follow suit with 144 APC members, 108 PDP members, and 90 LP members.
He added, “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.”
Obi concluded that the National Assembly’s endorsement of Rivers emergency rule reflects a deeply compromised system.
