A Pan-Yoruba socio-political organisation, Afenifere, has warned that Nigeria is gravitating towards the military dictatorship as witnessed during the days of Sani Abacha.
Spokesman of the organisation, Prince Justice Faloye, aligning with the Ayo Adebanjo faction, expressed concern over the incarceration of #EndBadGovernance protesters who were charged for treason.
He spoke in an interview on Arise yesterday, condemning also the recent arrest of the President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Comrade Joe Ajaero.
The group had earlier issued a statement where it condemned the arrest and detention of protesters, expressing their frustration against economic hardship in the land.
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During the TV show, he said, “We are concerned about the way this government is going, not only the NLC president is being harassed but we have hundreds of people being prosecuted for treason.
“At the same time, they went for Ajaero, they also went for SERAP. There was also a journalist that was arrested.
“We are moving back to the days of Abacha if we are not careful and that is why we are calling for the release of those detained.”
In the earlier statement signed by HRM Oba Oladipo Olaitan (Afenifere Deputy Leader) and Faloye, the group insisted it would be wrong to jail people protesting economic hardship in the land. It said the suspicion of being backed or financed by a foreign country is not enough to jail protesters, reminding President Tinubu that he was once backed by foreign interests to protect against President Goodluck Jonathan.
Afenifere stated that rather than accuse the protesters of treason, the government is guilty of “economic treason” due to its “economic misgovernance”.
Meanwhile, the Aare Ona Kakanfo of Yorubaland, Iba Gani Abiodun Adams, has expressed disappointment with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, accusing him of failing Nigerians who supported his rise to power.
He criticised the president’s handling of the petroleum sector, especially the recent hike in the price of premium motor spirit (PMS), also known as petrol, saying the situation is worsening the hardship in the land.
In an open letter to President Tinubu, Adams condemned the president for his perceived indifference to the economic struggles facing Nigerians.
“When you took office, the price of fuel was below N200. Today, it has soared to over N1,000, which has only worsened the economic hardship for millions of Nigerians,” he stated.
He called on Tinubu to reverse what he described as “the ugly trend,” urging him to address the growing crisis.
Adams also reflected on the disparity between Tinubu’s campaign promises and his administration’s actions.
“When you came with the ‘Emilokan’ coinage in the build-up to the 2023 elections, many Nigerians were persuaded that as a democrat exposed to modern way of governance, you would perform better than Muhammadu Buhari, a soldier who deepened the poverty levels of Nigerians and increased insecurity from 2015 to 2023.
“Today, events have proved that they were wrong. Mr President, to say the truth without minding whose ox is gored, you have really disappointed many Nigerians who thought you were the messiah they were waiting for,” he said.
He further criticised the president’s handling of the economy, stating, “Obviously, your administration is becoming indifferent, insensitive and unresponsive to the plights of millions of Nigerians who can no longer meet their daily needs. This is a brutal assault on the sensibility of Nigerians.
“I think you and your party should be sensitive to the plights of Nigerians. Mr President, don’t you think the wicked and draconian increase in fuel price, especially at this time that Nigerians have been pushed to the wall, is a huge recipe for crisis? Nigerians can no longer bear this economic hardship.”
Adams also questioned the efficacy of the president’s economic team.
He said, “Now, your two right-hand men when you were governor of Lagos State between 1999 and 2007, Wale Edun (Finance minister) and Yemi Cardoso (CBN governor) are in charge of the economy. What exactly are the fiscal, economic and financial briefings they give you daily to convince you that they know what they are doing in those two offices?”
Adams also believed the security situation has worsened under the current administration.
“Pitiably today, from the North to the South, East to the West, the rate at which Nigerians are being abducted and some killed, even after ransom was paid, it was as if these blood-thirsty maniacs have just been unleashed on Nigerians from the hottest part of hell,” he said.
The Yoruba generalissimo also likened Tinubu’s administration to Adolf Hitler’s regime, suggesting that the current governance could lead Nigeria down a similarly disastrous path.
“I hope I am wrong but I see a linkage between what happened during the ascendancy of Hitler into power and what is happening in Nigeria today,” he said.
Efforts to get reactions from the presidency to Adams’ letter were not successful as calls and text messages sent to the president’s media aides were not responded to as of the time of filing this report.
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