Peter Obi Criticises National Assembly’s Approval Of Rivers State Emergency Rule.
Former presidential candidate Peter Obi has strongly condemned the National Assembly’s endorsement of the state of emergency declared in Rivers State by President Bola Tinubu.
In a statement on Friday, Obi argued that the approval highlighted the absence of genuine democracy in Nigeria. He stressed that without a functional opposition, democratic governance cannot thrive. According to him, opposition is a crucial element of any democratic system, as it holds the ruling party accountable and provides alternative perspectives.
Obi emphasised that a strong opposition can only exist in a system that embraces proportional representation, a model used in countries like South Africa and Indonesia. He cited South Africa’s National Assembly, which has 400 seats distributed based on electoral votes. He explained that the African National Congress (ANC) secured 40% of the vote, resulting in 160 seats, while the Democratic Alliance (DA) gained 20% of the vote, translating to approximately 80 seats—alongside various other parties.
“In these nations, those who contested the presidential election remain the recognised leaders of their respective parties,” he noted. “Furthermore, laws prevent elected officials from defecting to other parties without losing their seats. This ensures party discipline and safeguards the electoral mandate, ultimately leading to a more balanced and accountable democratic process.”
He argued that if Nigeria followed a similar structure, the Senate—comprising 109 seats—would be more reflective of actual electoral outcomes, with the All Progressives Congress (APC) holding 44 seats, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) 33 under Atiku Abubakar’s leadership, and the Labour Party 27 under his own leadership. Likewise, he projected that the House of Representatives should ideally consist of 144 APC members, 108 PDP members, and 90 Labour Party members.
Obi lamented that Nigeria’s political landscape lacks such balance due to the absence of laws restricting party defections. He stated that the ability of politicians to switch allegiances freely weakens the opposition, distorts the will of the electorate, and erodes the credibility of democratic institutions.
“What remains is not true democracy but a system that is transactional, compromised, and, in many ways, akin to organised criminality,” he asserted.
He urged the urgent implementation of reforms to uphold genuine democratic values, enforce party discipline, and ensure fair representation. Without such changes, he warned, Nigeria’s democracy would remain fragile and ineffective.
“But we will not surrender to criminality,” he concluded. “We shall continue to fight for democracy—true democracy.”
