Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, has criticised the 2023 presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi, over his remarks on democratic governance in Nigeria.
Onanuga urged Obi to be mindful of his statements and avoid making comments that he described as mere political theatrics.
Obi, speaking at the 60th birthday colloquium of former Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Emeka Ihedioha, in Abuja on Monday, expressed concern that progress made since Nigeria’s return to civilian rule in 1999 had been reversed.
“Well, if you look at what Bishop Kukah said, he said it’s work-in-progress. Let me follow what my brother (Tambuwal) said about 1999.
“If you looked at where we are today, it’s like, they (the PDP) started in 1999, laid the foundation. Some people came and took it to decking, and some people were trying to take it to the first floor, when some people came and knocked everything down.
“That is the situation we are now. Everything has been knocked down and nothing works. I am somebody who can say this, exemplarily. I became a governor through the courts, when President Obasanjo and Atiku were in government.
“I did not pay the court one naira. I was sitting in my office and the court declared me winner, when a governor was not seeing them. This cannot happen in Nigeria today…”
Reacting to Obi’s remarks, Onanuga, in a post on X (formerly Twitter), dismissed the claims, arguing that Nigeria’s democracy had not collapsed as suggested by the former Anambra governor.
“I listened multiple times to former Governor Peter Obi’s statement in this clip, where he claims that democracy has collapsed in Nigeria.
“His hyperbolic remarks, suited for headlines, have been made without deep reflection and lack a solid logical foundation.
“How can a democracy that has strengthened over the past 26 years be said to have collapsed? Only a discontented and disgruntled Peter, who benefits from the very free speech democracy provides, could perceive such a democratic downfall through his lens.
“If democracy had indeed collapsed, as Peter claims, and we were living under a regime antithetical to democratic principles, he would not have been able to make his comments on Monday at Emeka Ihedioha’s colloquium.
“I will urge him to watch what he says and restrain himself from playing to the gallery.”
