Nigeria’s Democracy Is in Peril — Peter Obi and Atiku Abubakar Must Unite to Save It -By A Concerned Nigerian

Nigeria stands at a dangerous crossroads. What once seemed like a distant threat to our  democracy is now unfolding before our eyes. The signs are unmistakable: the erosion of  institutional checks and balances, the consolidation of power by a single political  machine, and the silencing of dissent through systemic control. 

Since 2003, a political dynasty that began in Lagos has grown into a national force,  replicating a model of dominance that leaves little room for opposition or innovation.  Today, we find ourselves under a government so powerful that it has changed the national  anthem without public consultation, suspended a democratically elected government, and  continues to spend from the national treasury with little transparency or accountability.  The legislature, once a vital check on executive power, has become a willing accomplice. 

Yes, there have been areas of progress. But progress without accountability is not  democracy—it is autocracy in disguise. 

This is why I write to Peter Obi and Atiku Abubakar—not as a partisan, but as a Nigerian  deeply concerned about our future. You are two of the most influential political figures in  the country. Your choices in the coming months will determine whether Nigeria remains a  democracy or slides into a one-party state. 

The sentiments of “Obi or Nothing” and “Atiku or Nothing” are not only unhelpful—they are  dangerous. They divide the very people who must now unite to defend our democratic  future. The 2027 election must not be another battleground of egos. It must be a  referendum on whether Nigeria will remain a democracy. 

The recent formation of the ADC coalition is a welcome development. But more is needed.  Your supporters—Obidients, Articulated, and others—must be called together, not to fight  for individual candidacies, but to form a united front against creeping authoritarianism.  This is a moment for statesmanship, not politics. For sacrifice, not self-interest. For unity,  not division. 

I believe you both see the threats I’ve outlined. But many of your supporters do not. It is  your responsibility to educate them, to build a coalition that transcends party lines, and to  offer Nigerians a real alternative. Because if the APC wins again in 2027 under the current  trajectory, it may well be the final nail in the coffin of our democracy. 

History will remember those who stood up when it mattered most. Let it remember you  both as the leaders who chose country over self.