2027 NDC Presidential candidate, Peter Obi
Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has described the recent judgment delivered by a Federal High Court in Lokoja as a serious setback for Nigeria’s democracy, warning that the country’s democratic institutions are facing increasing threats.
Obi made his position known in a post shared on his X account on Friday after learning of the court’s decision while attending official engagements in Imo State.
According to him, the day had begun with a visit to the School of Nursing Sciences in Emekuku, where he inspected projects executed through his previous interventions, including a computer laboratory.
He also attended the 80th birthday celebration of the Emeritus Archbishop of Owerri, Most Rev. Dr. Anthony Obinna, before proceeding to Madonna University.
Obi said it was at Madonna University that he received news of the Lokoja court ruling from Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso.
Reacting to the development, he said, “Every Nigerian committed to the country’s progress should be deeply concerned. This judgment represents another setback for our democracy and the institutions upon which our future depends.”
He expressed concern that individuals who present themselves as defenders of democracy were now contributing to the weakening of institutions critical to Nigeria’s stability.
“It is regrettable that some who claim to champion democracy now appear determined to weaken the very institutions that sustain it. In doing so, they are undermining public confidence and endangering the future of millions of Nigerians,” Obi stated.
The former Anambra State governor further warned that both the legislature and the judiciary were increasingly being drawn into a pattern of institutional decline.
“The legislature and the judiciary are increasingly being drawn into this pattern of institutional decline. Democracy cannot thrive where institutions lose their independence and credibility,” he said.
Obi maintained that his position was based on principle rather than political interest, recalling that he had taken a similar stand when the African Democratic Congress (ADC) faced what he considered a related challenge.
“Those who seek to weaken Nigeria’s democratic foundations will not ultimately prevail. When a similar situation recently affected the ADC, I condemned it without hesitation. I do so again today because my position has always been guided by principle,” he added.
He stressed that his concern was not about political office but about building a functional nation anchored on justice, strong institutions, the rule of law and equal opportunity.
“My concern is not about who becomes President. My concern is that Nigeria works. Our politics must move beyond the quest for power and focus instead on building a united nation founded on justice, strong institutions, the rule of law, and equal opportunity. That is the Nigeria we owe ourselves and the one we must leave for future generations.”
Obi called on Nigerians to put national interest above partisan considerations and defend democratic institutions.
“I therefore urge all well-meaning Nigerians to rise above partisan interests and defend our democracy. The survival of our institutions is inseparable from the survival of our nation. It’s when we work together that a new Nigeria of our dream is made possible.”
