By Dennis Okechukwu
National Democratic Congress (NDC) presidential candidate for 2027 elections Peter Obi has described the recent Lokoja court ruling as a serious setback for Nigeria’s democracy, warning that weakening key democratic institutions could endanger the country’s future.
Obi made the remarks in a statement on Friday after receiving news of the Lokoja court judgment while attending an event at Madonna University.
According to him, he had begun the day in Lagos before travelling to Emekuku, where he inspected projects he had previously funded at the School of Nursing Sciences, 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, where he said Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso informed him of the court’s decision.
Reacting to the ruling, Obi said every Nigerian committed to the nation’s progress should be concerned, describing the judgment as “another setback for our democracy and the institutions upon which our future depends.”
He accused some political actors of undermining the institutions they claim to defend, saying such actions erode public confidence and threaten the country’s democratic future.
“It is regrettable that some who claim to champion democracy now appear determined to weaken the very institutions that sustain it,” he said.
Obi expressed concern that both the legislature and the judiciary were increasingly being drawn into what he described as a pattern of institutional decline, stressing that democracy cannot thrive where institutions lose their independence and credibility.
He maintained that those seeking to weaken Nigeria’s democratic foundations would ultimately fail, noting that he had also condemned similar actions when they affected the African Democratic Congress (ADC), insisting that his position was based on principle rather than political interest.
“My concern is not about who becomes President. My concern is that Nigeria works,” Obi stated, urging political leaders to focus on building a nation founded on justice, the rule of law, strong institutions and equal opportunity instead of the pursuit of power.
He called on Nigerians to rise above partisan interests and defend democratic institutions, arguing that the survival of the country’s democracy is inseparable from the survival of the nation.
Obi concluded by saying that only through collective effort could Nigerians build the “new Nigeria” they desire.