The Labour Party, LP, presidential candidate in the 2023 election, Peter Obi, says Nigeria’s democracy is fast losing its essence as a result of deep-rooted poverty ravaging the country.
Obi stated this in a post on his X handle on Monday.
The former Anambra State governor said the number of
Nigerians living in poverty is alarming, a situation which he said democracy
was supposed to address.
“With about 100 million Nigerians living in absolute poverty
and 150 million in multidimensional poverty, democracy is fast losing its
essence if it fails to address the fundamental needs of its citizens,
particularly in critical areas such as health, education, and poverty
alleviation,” he tweeted.
The politician, therefore, urged leaders to address poverty
in the land by prioritizing and strengthening independent institutions and
delivering economic progress to the people.
“We must confront the fundamental question: Is democracy
truly addressing the needs of Nigerians? Are we building institutions that
uphold accountability, justice, and fairness? To achieve a functional
democracy, we must prioritize strengthening independent institutions, fostering
governance that delivers economic and social progress, encouraging active
citizenship to hold leaders accountable, and empowering our youth as drivers of
nation-building.
“As Nelson Mandela once said, as long as poverty, injustice,
and inequality exist, none of us can truly rest.
“Now is the time to deepen democracy and build a better
future for all Nigerians. Amid the rise of coups across Africa and the growing
fragility of democracies globally, it is evident that democracy cannot thrive
without trust, robust institutions, and a steadfast commitment to the welfare
of the people,” he added.
Obi further reiterated that for democracy in Africa to
thrive beyond its current fragile state, it must operate within its
foundational tenets, going beyond ceremonial elections. This requires building
critical institutions that command trust and deliver absolute respect for the
people’s will.
“Governance can only deliver tangible benefits when the will
of the people prevails,” he added.
Advertise on NigerianEye.com to reach thousands of our daily users
No comments
Post a Comment
Kindly drop a comment below.
(Comments are moderated. Clean comments will be approved immediately)
Advert Enquires - Reach out to us at NigerianEye@gmail.com