Omoyele Sowore Condemns Tinubu’s Government, Says Nigerian Democracy Has Become a Weapon Against the People

 

Human rights activist and former presidential candidate, Omoyele Sowore, has issued a scathing critique of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration, declaring that Nigeria's democratic experiment has dangerously strayed from its original purpose. Sowore, speaking during a live interview on Crown FM 101.5’s “KABENKO” programme hosted by Oluwaseyi Akinsola in Ile Ife, Osun State, did not mince words in his assessment of the government’s performance, asserting that it has failed Nigerians across every measurable front.

Sowore, known for his relentless advocacy for good governance, accused the government of deliberately frustrating civic engagement while operating under a cloak of secrecy. He noted that while activists and concerned citizens struggle to enlighten the public on their rights and push for accountability, the state responds with repression and hostility.

"The Nigerian government prefers to operate in darkness while we fight in the light," he remarked, pointing to systemic attempts to silence dissent and quash peaceful assembly. "Whenever citizens demand answers about the use of public resources, they’re met with force — not dialogue."

Drawing a sharp contrast between the attitudes of leaders in functioning democracies and those in Nigeria, Sowore observed that, globally, elected officials often embrace public scrutiny and explain their actions through the media. Nigerian leaders, he claimed, avoid accountability, appearing on public platforms not to address concerns but to insult and ridicule citizens.

Rather than engage in transparent governance, Sowore alleged that the state resorts to using security forces or deploying hired thugs to disrupt protests and intimidate voices of opposition. These tactics, according to him, are a continuation of the oppressive culture that plagued Nigeria under military rule, a system he and many others risked their lives to resist during their student days.

Recalling his formative years as a student activist, Sowore emphasized that his generation fought valiantly against military regimes, inspired by the likes of Chief Gani Fawehinmi and Femi Falana. Yet, the democracy they envisioned, he lamented, has become a far cry from what now exists.

"What we fought for was a democracy that empowers the people. What we have now is a system that threatens the same citizens it was meant to protect," he stated passionately. "This isn’t a government of 'Oselu' (true politicians); it’s one of 'Ojelu' (kleptocrats)."

He further argued that the democratic system in Nigeria today has become an illusion, manipulated to preserve the interests of a select few while the majority wallow in poverty and hopelessness. Many Nigerians, he said, are beginning to wonder whether the struggle for democracy was in vain.

The activist also shed light on personal challenges he faces as a result of his continued activism. According to him, his passport has been unlawfully held by the Nigerian government since February, a move he described as part of a wider strategy to harass and demoralize critics.

"They’ve seized my passport and refused to return it, using underhanded tactics to frustrate and suppress dissent," Sowore disclosed.

Addressing the rising disillusionment among Nigerian youths, he spoke on the failed promise of the “Not Too Young to Run” legislation, which was intended to foster youth participation in governance. While the bill was passed in 2019, Sowore argued that the absence of structural and financial support has rendered it largely symbolic.

"You can't just pass a bill and walk away. Where are the resources and platforms for young people to thrive politically?" he asked. "Instead of empowering them, the government hands them cutlasses while reserving wealth and privilege for their own children."

On the economic front, Sowore spared no punches in condemning the state of the nation. He criticised the student loan policy introduced by the Tinubu administration, likening it to a trap that would plunge young Nigerians into lifelong debt while politicians continue to enjoy bloated salaries.

"Senators earn N30 million monthly, yet students are being asked to borrow money just to go to school," he said. "The same people who enjoyed free education now push a burdensome system onto others."

He also lamented the deterioration of public healthcare, contrasting it with Nigeria’s past when the country was a destination for medical tourism. Hospitals today, he said, are crumbling shells of what they once were.

"People used to come from Saudi Arabia to Ibadan for treatment. Now, even getting paracetamol in our hospitals feels like a luxury," he added.

Reflecting on his own presidential bid, Sowore rejected the notion that political experience should be defined by corruption or violence. “I was asked what experience I had. I said: if experience means stealing money or orchestrating violence, I don’t have it. But I have knowledge, I have ideas, and I have the will to govern honestly.”

For Sowore, Nigeria’s insecurity crisis is deeply rooted in massive unemployment, which leaves millions of youths vulnerable to exploitation and criminality.

"The devil is employing our jobless youth because the government has abandoned them. Until we solve unemployment, we can’t win against insecurity."

He ended with a call to action, urging Nigerians to reclaim their country from what he termed “mindless leaders with no constructive ideas.” True transformation, he asserted, will only come when visionaries, not career politicians, are given the reins of power.

“We can’t keep living in servitude and calling it democracy,” he warned. “Nigeria’s greatness lies not in its politicians, but in its people — and we must reclaim it before it’s too late.”