The Special Adviser on Information and Strategy to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Bayo Onanuga, has warned former Anambra Governor, Peter Obi, to stop making unguarded statements.
Obi at a public function in Abuja on Monday, March 24, said that democracy under the present had collapsed.
Onanuga, in a statement on X (formerly Twitter), criticised Obi’s comments and argued that democracy in Nigeria has remained resilient over the years and has continued to strengthen since 1999.
He questioned how a democracy that has endured and grown over the past 26 years could be said to have collapsed, adding that Obi is a beneficiary of the free speech provided by the system.
Onanuga further urged Obi to be more cautious with his statements, warning against what he described as playing to the gallery.
‘’I listened multiple times to former Governor Peter Obi's statement in this clip, where he claims that democracy has collapsed in Nigeria. His hyperbolic remarks, suited for headlines, have been made without deep reflection and lack a solid logical foundation. How can a democracy that has strengthened over the past 26 years be said to have collapsed?
Only a discontented and disgruntled Peter, who benefits from the very free speech democracy provides, could perceive such a democratic downfall through his lens. If democracy had indeed collapsed, as Peter claims, and we were living under a regime antithetical to democratic principles, he would not have been able to make his comments on Monday at Emeka Ihedioha's colloquium. I will urge him to watch what he says and restrain himself from playing to the gallery.''
Obi, at the event, had argued that democracy in Nigeria had suffered a serious setback due to the actions of the current leadership.
He said;
“They started in 1999, they laid the foundation, some people came and took it a decking, and some people were trying to raise it to the first floor, and some people came and knocked everything down. That’s the situation we are in right now. Everything has been knocked down, nothing works.
I became a governor through the courts. When (former) President (Olusegun) Obasanjo and Atiku (Abubakar) were in government, I did not pay the courts one naira; I was sitting in my house, in an office, and the court declared me winner.
Today, the president impeaches the person. And they were begging in my house not to impeach me, and they were in PDP, I was in APGA. Even when I was impeached, President Obasanjo called me and said, ‘Are you okay? Are you safe?’ I couldn’t believe it. Now the president (referring to the present administration) will ask him not to come back here again,” he said.
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