Former Governor of Anambra State, Peter Obi has said that the falling of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu at the Eagle Square on Wednessday during the Democracy Day celebration in Abuja is something that could have happened to anybody.

Peter Obi who was the Labour Party, LP presidential candidate in the last general elections in Nigeria, said, he was saddened to learn about the incident.

In his words, Peter Obi said: “I was saddened to learn of President Tinubu’s unfortunate fall today. I wish him well. We achieve nothing by gloating about an accident that could well happen to any of us.

We are all human beings and, while we profoundly disagree on how to move Nigeria forward, we must remember our common human frailty. Let us stay focused on the issues that will lead to a new Nigeria.

May this moment serve as a poignant reminder of our shared humanity and the need for compassion, empathy, and unity in our pursuit of a brighter future for our great nation”.

We had earlier reported that all may not be well health wise with Nigeria President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu as he fell down completely at a public event organised to mark this year 2024 Democracy Day Celebration.

A video posted online that captured the moment President Bola Ahmed Tinubu fell down before help could come his way, showed the President entered the ceremonial vehicle positioned to enable him move around the Eagle Square stadium to inspect and review the military and para military parades lined up for the June 12 Democracy Day Anniversary.

It was observed that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu entered the vehicle completely and while trying to stand up and wave to the crowd, he fell down completely inside the vehicle.

He was quickly helped by the security operatives around him. 

Tinubu was billed to also unveil the world’s largest painting portrait in  Abuja
after he arrives Eagles Square for the democracy day celebration.

In a series of tweets to commemorate this year Democracy Day, Peter Obi said  political leaders must return to true democracy as a mark of respect for the collective sacrifices of both national heroes and the masses.  

Obi  said democracy was beyond elections, but fulfilling the responsibilities of responsible governance as contained in the constitution.

According to him, the creation of a true society for democracy to thrive is possible.

“As our dear nation marks Democracy Day today, commemorating 25 years of striving to be a democratic country, the fundamental question for all of us remains: Are we truly democratic?

As we build a New Nigeria, these tenets shall be the pillars of our true democracy. It is possible.

To further illustrate that we are not truly democratic and have only produced the vices enumerated above, we are now ranked as follows:

In the measurement of democracy, we have a democracy index score of 4.23, which ranks us low on the Global Democracy Index.

In the Corruption Perception Index, we are ranked 145th among the 180 countries measured, showing a high level of corruption in Nigeria.

In the Rule of Law Measurement, we are ranked 120th out of 142 countries measured in the World Justice Project (WJP) Rule of Law Index, indicating that Nigeria suffers from gross disobedience to the rule of law.

The 2024 World Press Freedom Index by Reporters Without Borders (RSF) describes Nigeria as one of West Africa’s most dangerous and difficult countries for journalists.

Nigeria ranks 112th out of 180 countries where journalists are regularly monitored, attacked, and arbitrarily arrested. We are ranked 109th out of 125 countries measured on the Global Hunger Index.

Let us, therefore, use the commemoration of June 12 as an occasion to return to a truly democratic nation. We achieved that feat on June 12, 1993, by collectively voting for democracy in Nigeria. We must stand in defence of Nigeria’s democracy today”, Obi stated in quote.

Earlier, Peter Obi referenced the outcome of the 2024 South Africa election results and condemned the manner Nigeria 2023 general elections were conducted while making comparative assessment of the two election outcomes.

In quote, he said: “the outcome of the recent South African election results remains a shining example of what a transparent and efficient democratic electoral process should look like.

With about 60% Voter turnout, over 90% of polling open on time, allowing diaspora voting, the results and updates were real-time without any form of technical glitches during the election.

This demonstrated the robustness and transparency of their system. The seamless online dissemination of results further highlights their commitment to democratic principles and technological advancement.

This is in stark contrast, to the show of shame that the giant of Africa, Nigeria, gave the World in 2023. Nigeria’s 2023, with less than 30% of the Voter turnout and over 60% of the polling stations starting late, no diaspora voting, the elections were plagued by allegations of fraud and widespread irregularities, all forms of glitches, despite an enormous expenditure to the tune of about a billion dollars (direct allocation of ₦313 Billion and donor agencies supports).

The process has been widely discredited. The differences between the two countries’ electoral processes are both stark and lamentable. South Africa’s Election Results Center, with its state-of-the-art electronic board, showcased results with unparalleled precision and speed.

Meanwhile, Nigeria’s electoral process is mired in controversy and lacks transparency. This glaring juxtaposition is a painful reminder of our country’s ongoing struggles with democratic governance.

It underscores the urgent need for comprehensive electoral reforms to ensure that our elections are free, fair, and credible. We must learn from South Africa’s example and strive to build a system that restores the people’s faith in our democracy.

The time for action is now, and we cannot afford to delay any longer in addressing these critical issues for a new Nigeria is POssible!”