Today, I join millions of Nigerians in commemorating Democracy Day and extending my warm wishes to the good people of Owerri Federal Constituency and indeed all Nigerians.

It is proper and appropriate to do so.

June 12 occupies a special place in our national history. It reminds us of the sacrifices made by patriots who fought for democratic governance and honours the ultimate price paid by Chief M.K.O. Abiola in defending the people’s mandate. Their courage helped secure the democratic space we enjoy today.

However, beyond the celebrations, speeches, and goodwill messages, we must ask ourselves a fundamental question:

Is democracy truly working for the Nigerian people?

Democracy is not merely about holding elections every four years. Democracy should guarantee that votes count, institutions function, justice prevails, and government serves the people.

Sadly, many Nigerians are struggling to see these dividends.

Our democracy is facing serious challenges.

Many citizens have lost confidence in the electoral process because they believe their votes no longer count.

The judiciary, which should be the last hope of the common man, increasingly faces questions that undermine public trust.

Politicians and those in positions of power often operate with impunity, insulated from the consequences of their actions while ordinary citizens bear the burden of poor governance.

Look around our country.

Roads have become death traps.

Public schools are in deplorable condition, with inadequate facilities and shortages of qualified teachers.

The healthcare system is in distress. Hospitals are struggling while doctors, nurses, and other health professionals continue to leave the country in large numbers in search of better opportunities abroad.

Millions of young Nigerians remain unemployed or underemployed, trapped in forgotten rural communities without opportunities to fulfil their potential.

Poverty continues to ravage households across the nation.

Meanwhile, insecurity has become a frightening reality of everyday life. Kidnapping for ransom has become commonplace. Farmers are afraid to farm. Travelers are afraid to travel. Communities live in fear.

This is not the Nigeria we envisioned when democracy returned in 1999.

The state of our nation is exasperating.

Which way Nigeria?

The answer, in my view, lies largely in one word:

Leadership.

No nation rises above the quality of its leadership.

When leadership lacks vision, competence, integrity, and compassion, citizens suffer.

When public office becomes an avenue for personal enrichment rather than service, development stagnates and hope diminishes.

This is why Nigerians must learn to recognize when leadership is failing.

We cannot continue doing the same things and expect different results.

We cannot continue rewarding failure and expecting progress.

If roads remain impassable after years of promises, that is a leadership problem.

If our schools continue to deteriorate, that is a leadership problem.

If our hospitals are collapsing, that is a leadership problem.

If our youths remain unemployed and our people insecure, that is a leadership problem.

Thankfully, there is a shining example close to home that proves that things can change when the right leadership emerges.

During the 2023 elections in Abia State, Professor Nnenna Otti became a symbol of courage and integrity. Faced with pressure to compromise the people’s mandate, she stood firm and refused to manipulate election results.

Her response was captured in a phrase that has since become famous:

“O wuu mmadụ ga-eme ya.” (Somebody will do it.)

Because one woman chose integrity over compromise, the true will of the people prevailed.

That process led to the emergence of Dr. Alex Otti of the Labour Party.

Today, Abia State is widely acknowledged as one of Nigeria’s leading examples of purposeful governance. Roads are being reconstructed. Public confidence is returning. Government is becoming more responsive. The state is experiencing a remarkable turnaround.

What changed?

Not the people.

Not the geography.

Not the natural resources.

Leadership changed.

The election of a Labour Party governor with a clear vision and commitment to service has demonstrated that good governance is possible.

Abia has become living proof that when credible elections produce capable leaders, transformation follows.

The lesson for Imo State and Nigeria is clear.

We do not have to accept poor governance as our destiny.

We do not have to normalize failure.

We do not have to continue recycling the same leadership that has produced the same disappointing outcomes.

We can choose differently.

As a member of the Labour Party and a candidate for the House of Representatives for Owerri Federal Constituency, I firmly believe that Nigeria’s future can be brighter if we embrace competent, accountable, and people-centred leadership.

The Labour Party has shown through examples like Abia that governance can be purposeful, compassionate, transparent, and development-driven.

The evidence is visible for all to see.

As we approach 2027, Nigerians must remember that democracy gives us one powerful instrument for change:

The ballot box.

* Do not sell your vote.
* Do not exchange your future for temporary inducements.
* Do not surrender your democratic power to political merchants.

* Get your PVC.
* Protect your vote.
* Participate actively in the democratic process.
* Demand accountability.
* Demand competence.
* Demand results.
*
Because democracy can only work when citizens take ownership of it.

As we celebrate Democracy Day, let us move beyond ceremonies and slogans.

Let us recommit ourselves to building a nation where leadership serves the people, where institutions work, where justice prevails, and where every Nigerian can aspire to a better future.

And whenever we are tempted to believe that change is impossible, let us remember the words of Professor Nnenna Otti:

“O wuu mmadụ ga-eme ya.”
Yes, somebody will do it.

In 2027, that somebody can be you, the Nigerian voter, determined to rescue our democracy and reclaim our future.

Get your PVC. Exercise your right. Vote wisely. Vote for change.

Dr. Betty Anyanwu-Akeredolu,
Ada Owere 1,
Ada Emeabiam II
Labour Party Candidate, House of Representatives Owerri Federal Constituency