Tinubu’s Government Sliding Into Dictatorship – Analysts

…Insist Authoritarianism Is Staring Nigerians In The Face

…Cite Intimidation Of Unionists, Activists With Arrest, Detention

LAGOS – Analysts have expressed worry that the Bola Ahmed Tinubu administration is fast sliding into dictatorship with the recent intimidation of unionits, rights activists, and journalists through arrests and detention.

The analysts noted that the DSS’s invasion of the office of SERAP and the NLC, as well as the arrest of labour leader, Joe Ajaero, and rights advocate, Omoyele Sowore, were attempts to repress vocal voices and democratic institutions. In separate interviews with SUNDAY INDEPENDENT, they also cited the arrests, detention and trial of the #EndBadGovernance protesters.

The analysts expressed surprise at President Tinubu’s administration’s sudden recourse to coercion against opposition elements, called for a change of style as the government is fast losing its popularity among Nigerians who are already weighed down by poverty, poor economy, Naira devaluation, unprecedented inflation, high cost of electricity and fuel, which they attributed to the sudden, unplanned and unilateral removal of fuel subsidies at the inception of the administration.

Chief Martins Onovo, a seasoned politician and the 2015 presidential candidate of the National Conscience Party (NCP), said he is not surprised that the current administration is becoming dictatorial.

Onovo, currently the Head, Policy Positions, Movement for Fundamental Change (MFC), while speaking with Sunday Independent, stated: “We are not surprised. We studied and understood the man called Jagaban Tinubu.

“We have predicted flawlessly. We predicted he would visit violence on peaceful protesters and we were right. “We predicted he would abuse the office and we were right. We predicted that he would disregard the law and we were right.

“To understand Jagaban Tinubu, you must understand his ‘Emi lo kan’ profile. “Emi lo kan’ properly understood, implies selfishness and lawlessness. “These have become the norm and some Nigerians are resisting them. The ‘Emi lo kan’ template is similar to mafia tactics.

“They first try to bribe people to tow their line. If that fails, they threaten or force persons using any form of violence.

All those that refuse to be bribed, they will attempt to compel by violence. “Remember when Chief Gani Fawehinmi was attacked in the court premises in Ikeja. Remember the violent attack on the NLC President in Imo State by the thugs of the ruling party backed by the Police.

“Remember the peaceful protesters that were killed in August. These attacks will continue with the Police, DSS and the Judiciary will be manipulated to tolerate these abuses. “Nigerians must persevere.

The ‘Emi lo kan’ template will surely fail. It is already failing. The Special Adviser, Media and Publicity, has resigned. “The DG NIA has resigned. The DG DSS has resigned. Hundreds of Army personnel are resigning.

“The regime has failed woefully like we predicted and intimidation and violence cannot help it.” Dr John Kome, another stakeholder and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chieftain, who spoke to Sunday Independent from Doha, Qatar, described the turn of events in the polity as making his views quite interesting. Dr Kome stated: “Here is the headquarters of ALJAZERA, where Freedom of Speech and Expression is guaranteed.

“The APC government from the onset of the 2023 general elections is known for intimidation, because I was a victim myself.

“The beauty of democracy, first and foremost, should supposedly be Freedom of Speech and Expression of people’s opinions, voices and thoughts.

“Mr President is a wellknown democrat who fought for democracy in Nigeria and as such, should not allow undemocratic practices to be consistent with his administration in any guise whatsoever.

“The wanton arrests and intimidation of media practitioners, protesters and civil society are totally unacceptable in a Democratic Republic. “Intimation in democratic settings is viewed by society as a dictatorship government. “I urge the President Tinubu administration to be patient with Nigerians and show more understanding and restraint, while appreciating the fact that power is transient, but history and posterity judge human actions.”

Dr Rexkennedy Saltlove, a political activist and public affairs analyst, maintained that the Gestapo and worse than military era approach of Tinubu’s APC government to muzzle freedom of expression in a democratic era is really worrisome.

Dr Saltlove, the President/ Executive Director, Citizens Rights and Empowerment Advocacy Initiative (CREMA Initiative), stated: “It is a government that knows it has failed woefully in all Key Performance Indices (KPIs) on citizens’ welfare and doing all it can to cow opposition and vocal voices into silence.

“It shows that the ‘champion of democracy and democratic tenets’, as President Tinubu was tagged then, was pretending to use that to get to power, and having gotten there, his true colour and person is showing.

“Abraham Lincoln said, ‘Nearly all men can stand adversity, but, if you want to test a man’s character, give him power’.

“Colin Powell stated: ‘The essence of leadership is trust’. Tinubu and APC have not been able to build that trust through good governance and its dividends. “So, they know it. The Tinubu’s APC administration is scared to its teeth for a couple of reasons.

Hence, it is adopting oppression, suppression and intimidation tactics. “First, it has grossly failed in its economic policies in developing the nation, moving it ahead and improving the welfare standards of the citizenry, while it lives in luxury while the citizens suffer.

“Secondly, Tinubu, as an opposition leader and brain behind APC then sponsored by him, from which he is reaping the spoils today, knew very well how it came into power through vociferous and aggressive opposition, whipping up sentiments and using circumstances then to manipulate people against the government in power, that eventually brought it down.

“You can well be assured that he and his party and their fanatical followers, who helped them ascend to power, will be dead scared against any form of opposition, especially knowing that the deplorable state of economy and welfare of the citizens is a ticking time bomb for a revolution.

“Citizens are so hungry and impoverished that some do not even see food to eat in dustbins. Any criticism of the government right now will be seen as an incitement to topple it.

And they are well aware of it and try to use fear and intimidation. “In a democracy, you engage and discuss to resolve any conflicting issue and grey areas for the common good of the citizens and general masses in the country.

“This is because you have content. A government is scared of opposition when it is empty and has nothing to offer.

“Therefore, it is resorting to intimidations and high-handed tactics to silence criticism and opposition. “It is sad for someone who wants to see himself as champion of democracy adopting high handedness and intimidation to silence opposition. “If you are a leader and government that has content, delivering the dividends of democracy, you would never ever be threatened by the opposition.

But, your works will speak for you. “As a clergy and human rights advocate, I pray we do not have an oppressive democratic government that will set this nation ablaze. “But, let them listen and learn from the criticisms and opposition for the common good of all.”