Afenifere warned Tinubu against ‘one-man rule’, saying Nigeria was entering a crisis

Pan-Yoruba socio-political organization, Afenifere, delivered a scathing assessment of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration as the government marked the third anniversary of his tenure, accusing him of exacerbating poverty, insecurity and the decline of democracy across the country.

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

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

“On May 29, previously Democracy Day, now Inauguration Day, Afenifere is horrified by the current course of our democracy, and sympathizes with Nigerians after three years of inauguration of maladministration that has given rise to poverty, unemployment, mass killings and kidnappings, undermining democratic federalism and subjugation of other government institutions,” the statement read.

The group contrasts what they describe as the “primary evils” and “primary virtues” in governance, arguing that Nigerian society is increasingly faced with fear, hardship and insecurity rather than prosperity and stability.

“Around the world, citizens are motivated by their governments, whether by the Summum Malum – the fear of the greatest evils – death by violence, poverty, tyranny, or the Summum Bonum – the promise of the highest good – home, prosperity, security,” he said.

“For an administration that comes to power with new hope, we can only hope that our electoral system can do the right thing on next Inauguration Day for the following reasons.”

Afenifere further alleged that insecurity had worsened under successive All Progressive Congress governments, and accused the ruling party of failing to restructure the country’s security architecture.

“The biggest nightmare of crime has become a reality under the APC government with teachers beheaded, children kidnapped, and villages ransacked and displaced,” the statement continued.

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

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

READ ALSO: NDC confirms primary election on May 29, citing logistical disruption to Eid al-Fitr

“Nigerians are naturally questioning whether there is an unholy pact between the APC and terrorists/bandits/mercenaries, following the admission of some APC supporters that they imported terrorists to embarrass President Jonathan from office in 2015, after which insecurity spread to President Muhammadu Buhari’s North West region, and now to President Tinubu’s South West region.”

“Before, we heard of politicians sleeping in coffins for political deals with their godfathers, now our entire democracy is wearing coffin shoes under the APC government.”

On the economic front, Yoruba groups accuse Tinubu’s government of implementing neoliberal economic policies which they say have worsened the living conditions of ordinary Nigerians.

“The biggest crime is also seen economically, as a result of President Tinubu’s neoliberal economics which resulted in poverty levels rising to 63% and a debt of N65.9 trillion for governance costs and tokenist development projects,” he said.

“Despite concerted efforts and propaganda to cover up the true state of the economy, unimplemented budgets, false income and employment statistics, two out of three Nigerians face the dire situation of lack of food and safe shelter.”

The organization further stated that Nigeria is now among the countries with the worst poverty and social conditions globally.

“Nigeria has the second largest population of extreme poverty in the world after India. We also have the highest number of homeless people in the world with 30 million homeless people. In addition, Nigeria now has the lowest life expectancy in the world at 54.6 years, 20 years lower than the global average. Nigeria is also one of the countries with the highest infant mortality rate in the world.”

Afenifere also criticized the federal government’s recent economic management decisions.

“Nigerians therefore feel threatened by the replacement of a finance minister who oversaw a drastic decline in living standards with a taxman bent on sucking the blood from our sluggish economy.”

The group insists they have opposed the government’s economic direction from the start.

“Afenifere has been clear from his first day in office that the ideological position of the adopted neoliberal economic policy will never produce good results. It is known to give rise to poverty, large income gaps, prebendalist governments, and ethnic conflicts.”

The organization also condemned what it described as increasing corruption and political intimidation.

“Even though the government calls on the public to make economic sacrifices for reforms that cannot be implemented, government corruption and the costs of governance are increasing.

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

The group further accused the government of weakening democratic institutions and opposition voices.

“This administration has been careful in allocating contracts without due process to companies owned by friends and family, to the detriment of all government institutions.

“The continued institutional repression of opposition parties, trade unions and students is a movement against fascism. The independence of our electoral institutions and judiciary is being compromised. Instead of our electoral system evolving to a higher level, new reforms are lowering its moral compass.”

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

“In short, in the final year of this administration, Afenifere and other well-meaning Nigerians can only hope for a free and fair election to replace Summum Malum/Ultimate Evil with Summum Bonum/Ultimate Good.

“Afenifere hereby appeals to the Tinubu administration to change its course towards One Man rule by allowing for credible opposition parties and voices, to allow free and fair elections, and to prevent unpleasant changes and a complete derailment of our democracy.”