The presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, has urged Nigerians to critically examine the direction of the country and take a decisive stand ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Obi made the call while delivering a goodwill address at the 2026 Goodluck Jonathan Foundation Democracy Dialogue held at the Ahmadu Bello International Conference Centre in Bauchi.
Speaking on the theme, “Beyond Elections: Can Political Parties and the Judiciary Save African Democracy?”, Obi expressed concern over the state of Nigeria’s democracy and what he described as the changing role of the judiciary in the country’s political process.
The former Anambra State governor said Nigerians must work collectively to reverse negative trends affecting the nation and ensure that the 2027 elections strengthen democratic governance and produce outcomes acceptable to all stakeholders.
Obi recalled his legal battle over the Anambra State governorship, citing it as an example of how the judiciary had previously delivered decisions based on the merits of cases rather than political considerations.
He noted that a former Supreme Court justice who handled his case had never met him before delivering the judgment that eventually paved the way for his emergence as governor.
According to Obi, a three-member panel of the Court of Appeal also determined his case based on the facts presented before it.
“That is supposed to be the role of the judiciary in a democratic society — delivering judgment based on the merits of the facts available,” he said.
However, Obi expressed concern over what he described as increasing political influence in the judiciary, alleging that some judicial decisions were now being shaped by political considerations.
“What we have today is judges singing, ‘Mr President, on your mandate we shall stand.’ That is not what the judiciary is supposed to be in a true democracy,” he said.
The NDC candidate called on Nigerians to demand responsible leadership and reflect on the kind of country they want to leave for future generations.
He warned that continued bad governance, injustice and political manipulation could have serious consequences for the country and its citizens.
Obi also commended former President Goodluck Jonathan for sustaining the annual democracy dialogue, describing the platform as important for examining Nigeria’s democratic development and promoting discussions around good governance and judicial independence.
He maintained that Nigeria had the potential to become a better and more prosperous nation if citizens united, demanded accountability and insisted on responsible leadership.
