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Afenifere to Tinubu: You’ve Failed Nigerians
The pan-Yoruba socio-political organization, Afenifere, has lamented that President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda turned into a nightmare for Nigerians.
Afenifere, in a statement by its Leader and National Publicity Secretary, Oba Oladipo Olaitan and Justice Faloye, respectively said the midterm report of the Tinubu administration has shown that every human development and socio-political index has regressed.
It also accused the administration of engaging in “massive propaganda claiming false successes.”
The statement read: “The Midterm Report shows that every human development and socio-political index has regressed since the coming to office of the President Bola Tinubu administration, turning the promise of renewed hope to a nightmare of regressing hopelessness and despair.
“Rather than take full responsibility for the unmitigated sufferings inflicted on Nigerians in the past two years on account of its wrong policy choices and wasteful spending, the Tinubu administration has engaged in massive propaganda claiming false successes and shifting blames to global and historical factors, and showing scant empathy for ordinary Nigerians.
“Basically, due to unforced errors, especially the oversight of the production element of subsidies and floating the Naira, without any preparation to cushion the predictable impact, the Tinubu Economic Reforms has turned out to be Tinubu Economic Deforms.
“A Prebendal and Government for the privileged and connected: Despite the Tinubu administration’s economic policies causing huge inflation that cut real wages in over half, only 4.1% of the Nigeria population in the civil service had their wages increased by 38%. Reliance on unproven channels for the distribution of pitiable half-hearted food and other palliatives were corruptly split among those connected, while uncontested mega projects were brazenly given to those with well known connections to the President. It is obvious that the Tinubu administration has no intention of delivering the greatest good the greatest number of Nigerians.
“Two years into its tenure, and contrary to its well advertised electoral promise, the Tinubu administration is yet to implement Oronsaye Report to cut cost of governance, instead the costs have ballooned with new cost centers for cronies to milk. The tone of government at all levels is one of profligate ‘jaiye jaiye’ lifestyle, while the masses are being berated about Nigeria’s wasteful past and the imperative of sacrifice to restore fiscal integrity. The government’s first supplementary budget and subsequent budgets were spent on not only preserving but increasing the luxurious lifestyle of those in government – new Presidential jet, Cadillac limousines, N160 million cars for each federal legislator and scandalous increase in unaccounted constituency projects worth billions to each legislator.
“In the quest for absolute power, the Tinubu administration is trading off lives of Nigerians by refusing to devolve power for state police.
“The Tinubu administration is destructuring instead of restructuring the military imposed constitution, towards true federalism. It has shown increasingly centralizing tendencies to further weaken the federalist elements in the constitution by attacking federating units with the takeover of their administrative units, known as local governments. Tinubu is destructuring the pillars of our democracy by neutralizing the legislature and judiciary put in place for balance of power and robust representative governance. It is obvious that the agenda is a one-party state totalitarianism.
“In the last two years, we have witnessed a markedly increase in intolerance of protests by dissenting civic groups. Peaceful protesters, students and labour groups are hounded, destabilized and bullied. In recent times, we have seen a gale of opposition politicians decamp to the ruling party to prevent institutional victimization. Even government sponsorship of internal conflicts in opposition parties and sociopolitical groups are in open. Some recent appointments to Independent National Electoral Commission are speculated to be card-carrying members of the ruling party. The emasculation of liberal democratic values are flagrantly displayed, without any shame or restraint.
“It has been a harrowing experience living through the pain and anguish of the last two years, inflicted on the nation by the administration of President Bola Tinubu. This Midterm Report is a duty that Afenifere must fulfil to prevent government propagandists from drowning the voices of millions of hungry and deprived Nigerians.
“Rather than focusing on service delivery, the Tinubu administration is focusing on winning the 2027 election regardless of the voters. No amount of propaganda will erase hunger and poverty in the land. Only selfless and empathetic leadership can serve the people, not Prebendalist and hedonistic lifestyle. If this Midterm Report was an academic exercise, the student will receive an advice to withdraw from the examiner, but we believe there is still room for redemption. We urge the President and his choir of mandate seekers to reflect and for a change just love Nigeria and Nigerians.”
World-renowned boxer Anthony Joshua on Monday survived a ghastly road accident in Makun, Ogun State.
Eyewitnesses report that the incident occurred along a busy highway of the Lagos-Ibadan expressway.
The vehicle carrying Joshua, a Lexus Jeep with the number plate, KRD 850 HN, reportedly collided with a stationary truck under circumstances that are still being investigated.
Joshua reportedly sustained minor injuries, while two persons were said to have died on the spot.
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has cautioned that any attempt to hurriedly re‑gazette Nigeria’s new tax laws could undermine parliamentary oversight and set a dangerous constitutional precedent.
Atiku’s warning follows public scrutiny over reports that the Tax Reform Acts signed by President Bola Tinubu differ from the versions passed by the National Assembly. Lawmakers, including Abdussamad Dasuki, raised concerns that the alterations could pose serious legal and constitutional risks, noting that they were not backed by any constitutional framework.
In a statement on X, Atiku said the directive to re-gazette the Acts effectively confirms “that the gazetted version of the Tinubu Tax Act does not reflect what was duly passed by the National Assembly,” calling it “a grave constitutional issue.”
He emphasized that under Section 58 of the 1999 Constitution, a bill only becomes law after passage by both chambers, presidential assent, and gazetting.
“Gazetting is merely an administrative act of publication. It does not create, amend, or validate a law,” Atiku said, adding that any post-passage insertion, deletion, or modification without legislative approval constitutes forgery rather than a clerical error.
Atiku further warned that rushing a re-gazetting while legislative investigations are ongoing “undermines parliamentary oversight and sets a dangerous precedent,” stressing that the only lawful approach is “fresh legislative consideration, re-passage by both chambers, fresh presidential assent, and proper gazetting.”
The former vice president clarified that his position is not opposition to tax reform but a defence of constitutional order.
“This is a defence of the integrity of the legislative process and a rejection of any attempt to normalise constitutional breaches through procedural shortcuts,” he said.
The Federal government has denied wrongdoing, insisting the laws will take effect as scheduled on January 1, 2026, while the National Assembly has directed the issuance of Certified True Copies of the Acts to ensure clarity and accuracy.
Barring unforeseen circumstances, the Labour Party (LP) Presidential Candidate in the 2023 elections, Mr. Peter Obi, is set to formally join the African Democratic Congress (ADC) on December 31, 2025.
The development would put to rest months of speculation about where the former Governor of Anambra State would pitch his tent in the coming elections.
Reports claim that Obi would be defecting with serving senators and other lawmakers elected on the platform of the LP, as well as remnants of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) in the South East region.
Specifically, Obi would be defecting alongside the Senator representing Anambra Central, Victor Umeh; that of Anambra North, Tony Nwoye; Abia South, Enyinnaya Abaribe; PDP chieftain Ben Obi; and members of the Obidient movement in the region.
It is not clear if the Abia State governor, Alex Otti, is part of the planned movement to the ADC.
The governor was recently approached by the PDP to join the party and re-contest his current position in 2027.
Further reports quoted Obi’s spokesperson, Valentine Obienyem, as confirming the planned defection of his boss to the ADC.
“Yes, it is true,” he reportedly said on Sunday.
Senator Umeh said the event would hold in Enugu, adding that it would involve all Obi’s supporters across the South East region.
“They will come from Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi and Imo states to join those in Enugu, where this exercise will hold on 31st December,” he reportedly added.
Sources hinted that Obi, who has not hidden his intention to appear on the ballot in 2027, would contest the presidential ticket of the ADC.
On his part, Chief Chekwas Okorie, reportedly said that the expected formal defection of Obi to the ADC is a healthy development that could reshape the thinking and permutations of the 2027 general elections.
“I imagine that he would be defecting along with most of his associates and followers. I believe that a fortified and strong ADC will add value to the opposition and assuage the general fear of a possible one-party option to Nigerians come 2027. The APC, ADC and possibly the PDP locking horns in the 2027 democratic encounter promises a vibrant and robust electioneering campaign that will provide Nigerians the required options to make informed choices in electing their preferred leaders at all levels. I imagine that the APC leadership will return to the drawing table to map out the strategy to confront the emerging challenge. Nigerians are in interesting times,” Okorie stated.
National President of Njiko Igbo Forum (NIF), Rev Okechukwu Obioha, vouched support for Obi to ensure he reaches the pinnacle of his political career. He, however, cautioned that the ADC should not compromise merit and integrity in the choice of its presidential candidate, stressing that Obi remains the “hope for the restoration of the country on the path of greatness.”
