Afenifere Warns Tinubu Against ‘One-Man Rule,’ Says Nigeria Drifting Into Crisis

The pan-Yoruba socio-political organisation, Afenifere, has delivered a scathing assessment of the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu as the government marks its third anniversary in office, accusing it of deepening poverty, insecurity and democratic decline across the country.

In a statement issued on Thursday by the group’s leader, Oladipo Olaitan, and National Publicity Secretary, Justice Faloye, Afenifere said Nigeria’s democratic system was under serious threat and urged the administration to reverse what it described as an emerging “one-man rule.”

The statement, titled “Tinubu’s 3 Year Report: Summum Malum or Summum Bonum,” lamented what the group called worsening hardship, unemployment, killings, kidnappings and alleged weakening of democratic institutions under the current administration.

“On May 29th, formerly Democracy Day, now Inauguration Day, Afenifere is fearful of the current course of our democracy, and commiserates with Nigerian citizens following three years of the inauguration of this maladministration that has bred poverty, unemployment, mass killings and kidnappings, tampering with democratic federalism and subjugation of other arms of government,” the statement read.

The group contrasted what it described as “ultimate evil” and “ultimate good” in governance, arguing that Nigerians were increasingly being confronted with fear, hardship and insecurity rather than prosperity and stability.

“Across the world, citizens are motivated by their governments either with Summum Malum – fear of ultimate evil – violent death, poverty, tyranny, or Summum Bonum – promise of ultimate good – homes, prosperity, security,” it stated.

“For an administration that came to power on a mantra of renewed hope, we can only dare to hope that our electoral system can do the right thing by the next Inauguration Day due to the following reasons.”

Afenifere further alleged that insecurity had worsened under successive administrations of the All Progressives Congress, accusing the ruling party of failing to restructure the country’s security architecture.

“The nightmare of ultimate evil has become a reality under APC administration with teachers being beheaded, children being kidnapped and villages ransacked and displaced,” the statement continued.

“The ongoing kidnapping of students and teachers and gruesome murders in Kwara, Oyo and other states is a painful reminder of the Tinubu government’s culpable wilful negligence of not restructuring our security architecture, especially the failure to create state and community Police.”

The organisation also raised concerns over alleged links between political actors and violent groups, referencing past comments by some APC figures.

“Nigerians can’t but question whether there is an unholy pact between the APC and terrorists/bandits/mercenaries, following the admittance by some APC stalwarts that they imported terrorists to embarrass President Jonathan out of office in 2015, after which insecurity moved wholesale to President Muhammadu Buhari’s Northwest region, and now to President Tinubu Southwest region.”

“Previously, we heard of politicians sleeping in coffins for political pacts with their godfathers, now our whole democracy is wearing coffin shoes under APC governance.”

On the economy, the Yoruba group accused the Tinubu administration of implementing neoliberal economic policies that it said had worsened living conditions for ordinary Nigerians.

“The ultimate evil is also being witnessed economically, as a result of President Tinubu’s neoliberal economics that has resulted in the poverty rate increasing to 63% and debt of N65.9 trillion for cost of governance and tokenist development projects,” it stated.

“Despite the concerted efforts and propaganda to cover the true state of the economy, the unimplemented budgets, false revenue and employment statistics, two out of three Nigerians are facing dire circumstances of lack of food and secured shelter.”

The organisation further claimed that Nigeria now ranks among countries with the worst poverty and social conditions globally.

“Nigeria ranks as the world’s second-largest extreme poor population after India. We also have the highest homelessness in the world with 30 million homeless people. Also, Nigeria now has the world’s lowest life expectancy rate at 54.6 years, 20 years lower than the global average. Nigeria also has one of the world’s highest infant mortality rate.”

Afenifere also criticised recent economic management decisions of the federal government.

“Therefore Nigerians feel threatened by the replacement of a finance minister that oversaw the drastic fall in living standards with an undertaker tax man bent on sapping blood from our anemic economy.”

The group insisted it had opposed the administration’s economic direction from the outset.

“Afenifere has insisted from the first day in office that the ideological position of neoliberal economic policies being adopted can never yield good fruits. It is known to breed poverty, great income inequalities, prebendalist governance and ethnic conflicts.”

The organisation additionally condemned what it described as rising corruption and political intimidation.

“While the government appeals to the people to make economic sacrifices for the unworkable reforms, government corruption and cost of governance increases.

‘The recent N800 billion campaign finance allegedly deducted from federal allocations to states by APC governors is immoral, illegal and a threat to democratic institutions.”

The group further accused the administration of undermining democratic institutions and opposition voices.

“This administration has thrown all caution to wind from allocating contracts without due to process to companies belonging to friends and family, to corrupting all arms of government.

“The continued institutional bullying of opposition parties, labour and student unions is a defiant march towards fascism. The independence of our electoral and judicial institutions are being compromised. Instead of our electoral system evolving to a higher state, new reforms have degraded its moral compass.”

Afenifere concluded by urging the Tinubu administration to preserve democratic freedoms and ensure credible elections in the country.

“Summarily, in this last year of the administration, Afenifere and other well meaning Nigerians can only have the audacity of hope of a free and fair elections to replace the current Summum Malum/Ultimate Evil with Summum Bonum/Ultimate Good.

“Afenifere hereby implores the Tinubu administration to change its course towards a One Man rule by allowing credible opposition parties and voices to exist, to allow a free and fair election, and to prevent unsavory change and total derailment of our democracy.”