Nigerians Don’t Need Obasanjo, Obi, Others To Tell Them Democracy Is Not Working – Gbemre

A Niger Delta activist, Zik Gbemre, has submitted that the likes of former President Olusegun Obasanjo and 2023 Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, do not qualify to talk about failed democracy in Nigeria.

According to him, the two leaders are part of the political class responsible for the current state of the country.

Specifically, Gbemre questioned the credentials of Obasanjo to speak about failed democracy in Nigeria when he also failed to do the needful despite the long years spent in power as the President of the country.

“Nigerians don’t need Obasanjo, Obi, and others to lead a debate on how democracy is not working in Nigeria. They have been prominent in corrupting the nation’s democracy into the steady dirty politics of the depraved hijacking leadership by hook and crook.

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“Besides, they should tell us what we don’t know, not what we already know. Democracy not working in Nigeria is common knowledge. So, what Nigeria needs is not democracy but good governance,” the activist said in an interview with Vanguard.

Naija News reports Gbemre spoke against the background of Obasanjo’s recent statement on democracy in Nigeria and his condemnation of the actions of the current crop of political actors.

However, the activist submitted that there is no major issue with the system in the country, noting that what Nigeria lacks is credible leaders.

During the interview, he also pointed at some of the perceived failures of Obasanjo during his time in power.

He said: “What Nigeria lacks is responsible leadership at all levels, and until the politicians stop using state money as personal wealth, till politicians stop looting treasuries. Until politicians are accountable. Until the people hold public officeholders accountable, until the rule of law prevails, Nigeria will not experience enduring democracy.

“Obasanjo, who said democracy does not work in Nigeria, didn’t do much. How did he set up the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC? NDCC was proposed for the South-South, but the power brokers set it up to include the South-East and South-West regions. He had the opportunity to build more functional refineries and make old ones work, but this didn’t happen.

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“Obasanjo had the opportunity to build railways to connect every part of Nigeria; Obasanjo had the opportunity to expand power infrastructure, but he didn’t do it. Under Obasanjo, multinationals were leaving Nigeria’s harsh economic climate. Dunlop, Michelin, Shell, and Chevron divested.

Obasanjo is one of the leaders who caused our underdevelopment; impeachments of Senate presidents and speakers, and the governor of Rivers State started under him. Declaring a state of emergency and invasion of civil communities started under Obasanjo.

“Obasanjo stage-managed the impeachment and removal of a former governor of Bayelsa State, Diepreye Alamieyeseigha. Have we forgotten how he ordered soldiers to invade Odi in Bayelsa State, which led to the Odi massacre?”