Former Labour Party’s presidential candidate, Peter Obi has charged President Bola Tinubu to emulate former presidents Umaru Yar’Adua and Goodluck Jonathan.
Obi said Tinubu should emulate Yar’Adua who accepted that the process that brought him into office as president was wrong.
He also said the president should be like Jonathan who saved Nigeria’s democracy by accepting defeat.
The former Anambra State governor spoke in his address to mark this year’s June 12 democracy day.
On how democracy can be deepened, Obi appealed to President Tinubu “to emulate late President Umaru Yar’Adua, who was honest enough to admit the process that brought him into office was wrong and not sufficiently credible, and insisted on rapidly doing what is right to save our democracy.
“And similarly, President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan saved our nascent democracy by accepting defeat even before the election result, announced in the dark.
“We must end this troubling governance era that is filled with impunity, state capture, and absolute disregard for the rule of law and the checks and balances required of any worthwhile democracy.
Obi regretted that Nigeria can no longer be classified as a democratic country because such indices are noticeably absent.
He said: “In our present state, our dear country, Nigeria cannot be justly classified as a democratic country. The vital indications of democracy are noticeably absent.
“Some do not even exist. Democracy is said to be ‘a government of the people, by the people, and for the people,’ yet none of these three measures exist in our democracy today.
“Rules, regulations and requirements to participate in elections or be elected for are not followed, consequently, individuals who are to be disqualified ab initio are now holding, including public offices.
“It is most troubling that in its two years in office, the present government has brought the nation to the point where our leaders now celebrate and endorse failure, lies, and propaganda.
“The government today, rather than show genuine accountability and measurable progress, focuses on manipulating narratives, gaslighting the public, shifting blame and weaponising governance.”
