"A Catalogue of Failures": Sowore Delivers Scathing Assessment of Tinubu’s Two-Year Leadership

 

Omoyele Sowore, former presidential candidate and national chairman of the African Action Congress (AAC), has sharply criticized President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration, describing his two years in office as a complete disappointment marked by deepening hardship, economic instability, and deteriorating national security.

Taking to social media to deliver his unfiltered verdict, Sowore did not mince words as he dissected what he described as the catastrophic failings of the Tinubu-led government. His remarks, which come exactly two years after Tinubu assumed the presidency, represent one of the most direct and unsparing assessments of the current administration from a prominent opposition figure.

President Tinubu, who came into office amid significant national expectations, has found his leadership under growing scrutiny as Nigerians continue to grapple with rising inflation, currency devaluation, fuel subsidy removal impacts, and persistent insecurity across the country. Sowore’s critique encapsulates many of these grievances, offering a blistering assessment of policy decisions and perceived lack of tangible progress.

“A man who took two years to construct only 30 kilometers of highway on his signature 700 km Lagos-Calabar highway project is failure,” Sowore declared, referring to one of Tinubu’s flagship infrastructure promises. The Lagos-Calabar coastal road project was touted as a transformational initiative meant to boost commerce, tourism, and regional integration. However, Sowore highlighted the snail-paced progress as emblematic of a leadership that overpromises and underdelivers.

Further expanding on the country’s economic woes, Sowore condemned the dramatic devaluation of the Nigerian naira under Tinubu’s watch. “A man who met the other exchange rate at ₦400 and pushed it to ₦1,600 is a failure!” he stated, underscoring the currency crisis that has caused a steep rise in the cost of imported goods, eroding the purchasing power of millions of Nigerians. The Central Bank’s foreign exchange reforms, initially aimed at market unification, have had turbulent effects, with many citizens bearing the brunt of inflation and economic uncertainty.

Fuel subsidy removal, another of Tinubu’s controversial policy moves, was also heavily criticized by the AAC leader. While the government framed the subsidy removal as a bold step to save public funds and restructure the economy, Sowore argues that it has disproportionately harmed the most vulnerable citizens. “A man who ended the petrol subsidy for people with low incomes but still subsidizes corrupt government officials and lawmakers in the name of budget padding is a failure!” he charged, pointing to what he described as hypocrisy and misaligned priorities in public spending.

Security, a key concern for most Nigerians, also featured prominently in Sowore’s remarks. He accused the administration of allowing insurgent groups to expand their reach rather than containing them. “A man who met Boko Haram in Borno and Yobe but let them move down south to Kogi is a failure,” he said, highlighting the growing geographical spread of insecurity and the lack of a coherent and effective response from the federal government.

While the presidency has continued to promote its achievements in various sectors, including infrastructure, agricultural investment, and digital economy initiatives, critics like Sowore argue that these claims are overshadowed by the daily struggles of ordinary citizens. Worsening poverty indicators, record levels of youth unemployment, and ongoing corruption scandals continue to raise questions about the direction of Tinubu’s leadership.

Sowore’s comments reflect not just political rivalry but also the frustration of a segment of the populace that feels let down by two years of unfulfilled promises. As Nigeria moves into the third year of Tinubu’s administration, the call for accountability and responsive governance is likely to intensify, with opposition figures like Sowore playing a key role in shaping the national discourse.

Whether the government will respond to these criticisms or continue with its current trajectory remains to be seen, but one thing is clear: the pressure is mounting, and the demand for results has never been louder.