June 12: Our Democracy Deeply Troubled, Nigeria’s Destiny Precarious, Uncertain— Obi

The candidate of the Labour Party in the February 25 presidential elections, Peter Obi, has lamented the state of democratic institutions in Nigeria.

Obi, in his Democracy Day message on Monday, said Nigeria’s democracy is deeply troubled and the destiny of the country remains uncertain and precarious.

The presidential candidate who recounted the events of June 12, 1993 said the way was historic and underpins Nigeria’s long collective journey to nationhood as a true democracy

He said 30 years after the 1993 elections, Nigeria is still in search for a credible electoral system that would command the trust, confidence, and belief of all Nigerians just like June 12 did.

Obi said the conduct of the last presidential elections was a demonstration of the trust deficit between Nigerians and their leaders.

He said, “In the spirit of June 12, therefore, we need to emplace an electoral system that commands the trust of the people. This is in recognition of the tenets and core values of democracy, which rest on respect for the wishes of the people as expressed in their ballots.

“Above all, the government must respect and protect the institutions of the democratic state by respecting the social contract with the people by meeting their needs, obeying their wishes, and fulfilling the responsibilities of responsible governance as contained in the constitution. A cardinal responsibility of government in this regard is respect for the rule of law.

“Regrettably, we are now in an era where these foundational pillars of democracy are undermined by prevalent impunity and pervasive violence, and bloodletting.

“The trust deficit between the leaders and Nigerians continues to expand. The deficits of trust and efficiency in our last elections demonstrate this malady quite boldly.

“I however urge us all not to lose faith in the inbuilt design of our democratic system to self-correct.

“I remain committed and convinced that a New Nigeria is POssible. Our aspiration for a nation of equity, justice, security, and peace can hardly be a utopia.

” We are a nation blessed richly with human and natural resources. What we lack, are selfless leaders who are committed to national interest, sustainable development, and innovative thinking that offers every Nigerian irrespective of ethnicity, religion, or social strata, the freedom of choice of abode, and protection of lives, property, and ordered liberties.

“These aspirations are real and achievable, and I hereby reiterate my promise to Nigerians that we will not relent in our fight to bring about leadership that will accord them the priority they deserve,” he added.