‘A Nation in Shame?’ – Peter Obi Laments Nigeria’s Declining State

By Emmanuel Kwada

Labour Party presidential candidate in the 2023 election and prominent opposition figure Peter Obi has issued a scathing rebuke of the Nigerian Senate’s recent decision to reject mandatory electronic transmission of election results, describing it as an “unforgivable act of electoral manipulation” that threatens the nation’s democratic future ahead of the 2027 polls.

In a strongly worded statement released today, Obi linked his delayed response to the Senate’s passage of the Electoral Act (Amendment) Bill where lawmakers voted against making real-time electronic upload of polling unit results compulsory to the tragic loss of over 150 lives in a deadly attack in Kwara State earlier this week.

“Let us all pause and pray for the souls of over 150 innocent lives lost in Kwara yesterday,” Obi began, referring to the Tuesday night assault on villages in Woro and Nuku in Kaiama Local Government Area, where gunmen—suspected to be linked to Islamist extremists—killed at least 162 people (with some estimates reaching over 170), according to reports from the Red Cross, local lawmakers, and Amnesty International.

The attack, one of the deadliest in recent months, involved villagers being rounded up, bound, and executed after refusing extremist demands.

Obi used the national tragedy to underscore the urgency of electoral reforms, arguing that the Senate’s action erodes public trust in institutions at a time when Nigeria grapples with insecurity and governance failures.

“This tragedy is precisely why I delayed commenting on the outrageous and shameful news surrounding our electoral system,” he stated.

“The Senate’s blatant rejection of mandatory electronic transmission of election results is an unforgivable act of electoral manipulation ahead of 2027.”

He described the rejection as a “deliberate assault on Nigeria’s democracy,” accusing lawmakers of entrenching disorder to serve “the sinister ambitions of a select few.”

Obi highlighted how past elections, particularly 2023, were marred by controversies over non-implementation of full electronic transmission, including claims of a “glitch” that he dismissed as fabricated.

“While numerous African nations adopt electronic transmission to bolster democracy, Nigeria, the supposed giant of Africa, shamelessly lags behind, dragging the continent backwards,” Obi lamented.

The former Anambra governor accused Nigeria’s elite of being the “real issue,” resisting reforms that would promote transparency while the country hosts conferences on its problems.

He warned that rejecting such safeguards perpetuates confusion “according to the whims of a small clique” and questioned whether leadership prioritizes a credible nation for future generations or one mired in chaos.

Referencing international criticisms, Obi noted: “When the former Prime Minister of the UK labelled us ‘fantastically corrupt,’ we reacted defensively. When President Donald Trump declared us a ‘now disgraced nation,’ we were incensed. Yet, with every act of resistance against transparency and reform, we continue to affirm their claims.”

Obi declared that the “criminality witnessed in 2023 will not be tolerated in 2027,” urging Nigerians to “rise up, resist, and reject the backward trajectory” legitimately.

He called on the international community to note the “groundwork for continued future electoral manipulation” endangering democracy and development.

Concluding on a hopeful yet resolute note, Obi affirmed: “A new Nigeria is POssible but we must all stand and fight for it.”

The statement has intensified debates over the Electoral Act amendments, with opposition parties like the PDP and ADC also criticizing the Senate’s move, while some clarifications from minority senators insist electronic transmission remains permissible at INEC’s discretion—not fully outlawed.

As Nigeria mourns the Kwara victims—prompting President Bola Tinubu to deploy an army battalion to the area—Obi’s intervention highlights growing concerns over electoral integrity amid persistent security and governance challenges.