Nigerians Made a Grave Mistake Electing Tinubu – Sowore

Ahead of Democracy Day, human rights activist Omoyele Sowore has harshly criticised President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration, asserting that Nigerians made a “grave mistake” electing him.

In an exclusive interview with Vanguard, Sowore claimed that Tinubu’s leadership has exacerbated Nigeria’s socio-economic decline, surpassing the failures of former President Muhammadu Buhari’s tenure.

“My position on this government is not a thought, it’s a clear stance I’ve held long before the 2023 elections. Nigerians made a grave mistake voting Bola Tinubu into office,” Sowore said.

He added, “When Tinubu is done with this country, Nigerians will be begging to return to Buhari’s era. He has done irreparable damage economically, socially, politically. He has crippled institutions, education, and democracy. Buhari killed Nigeria in eight years; Tinubu came, in two years he is burying it.”

Sowore claimed that Tinubu’s policies have deepened poverty, weakened institutions, and eroded democratic values. He warned that the nation is at the brink of collapse, with many citizens losing faith in democracy.

“What Nigerians are whispering dangerously is that they no longer believe in democracy,” he said. “The promises of democracy, free speech, credible elections, freedom to choose have been destroyed.”

“Today, people celebrate military dictators just to express their frustration. But to be clear, I don’t support military rule. What we have now is a shambolic democracy.”

Sowore also condemned the proposed law by the House of Representatives to make voting compulsory. He argued that the bill is a strategy to manufacture legitimacy through coercion.

“If you have to use threats to force people to vote, then democracy is dead. Democracy is about choice. You cannot force people to participate in a system they no longer believe in,” he argued.

“That proposal is not about boosting participation, it’s about forced legitimacy. They’re desperate because voter turnout is low, so they want to fabricate numbers. Those behind these laws should know I will oppose them every step of the way.”

When asked about a possible 2027 presidential run, Sowore expressed skepticism about the current electoral framework but vowed to continue advocating for change through activism.

“But if you’re asking about elections, I don’t believe in the current ballot system. The 2027 results are already written,” he said. “The only thing that can change Nigeria is rebellion against the system, against another sham election, not against democracy.”

Sowore dismissed potential alliances with opposition candidates like Atiku Abubakar and Peter Obi, asserting that the change Nigeria needs is systemic, not just a change of faces.

“That’s because what you call opposition isn’t opposition. Most of them are former APC or PDP members. They share the same ideology or lack of one. Real opposition means clear ideological difference. What we have are political mercenaries looking for the best-paying camp.”

“Most of these defections are transactional. They’re not about values or service. If you dig deeper, you’ll realise they’re just fighting over how to share the loot, not about how to serve the people.”

Sowore’s sharp commentary underscores a growing public discontent with Nigeria’s political landscape as the country prepares to mark another year of democratic governance.