Peter Obi, the presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in the 2023 election, described the recent events during the Edo State governorship election as a case of state capture.
In a post on his X (Twitter) account on Monday, September 23, Obi emphasized that the election did not reflect a genuine democratic process. He stated, “What happened over the weekend in the name of election in Edo State does not in any way represent the democratic process we chose as a method of electing our political leadership.”
He continued, “Instead, it was a blatant example of ‘state capture’ and continued gross undermining of our democratic process and values. Any nation whose leadership recruitment process is so fatally flawed is doomed, and we are all seeing the effect in our country.”
Obi urged those in power not to accept this situation as normal: “We have invested significantly in IReV and BVAS, and they must be allowed to function properly to free our electoral process from the massive falsification that has plagued it.”
He warned agencies and individuals undermining democracy that “your time in office is not eternal,” and that the society they are harming will seek justice in the future.
Obi also called out those complicit in these actions, urging them to reflect on the consequences: “The damage you are causing today will inevitably take revenge on you tomorrow and affect your children in the future.”
He concluded by stressing that true democracy is not about capturing power, but about saving the country for everyone. “I remain committed to building a new and truly democratic Nigeria, which I insist is very possible.”
