Oritsejafor Declares Tinubu a Failure
Former President of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor, has issued a stark warning to President Bola Tinubu, declaring that he has failed Nigerians and should not seek reelection in 2027. Speaking on Monday night during an appearance on Channels Television's Politics Today programme in Abuja, Oritsejafor said the Tinubu administration has done more harm than good over the past three years.
Nigeria Moving Backwards, Says Clergyman
Oritsejafor was unequivocal in his assessment of the current government, stating that Nigeria is regressing rather than progressing. “When you look at the condition of this nation today, instead of going forward, we seem to be going backwards. Instead of solving our problems, we seem to be creating more problems. The government of Mr President has done more harm to this nation than this nation has ever experienced,” he said.
While he stopped short of calling for Tinubu's immediate resignation, Oritsejafor insisted that the president must not consider returning to power. “One thing I can say categorically is that he should not begin to dream of coming back to continue this same mess. I don’t think he can do better than this. This is the best he can do,” he added.
What Oritsejafor Would Tell Tinubu Directly
Asked what he would say if he met the president personally, Oritsejafor was blunt. He would tell Tinubu he has failed and urge him to either step aside, not stand for another election, or seek out people with the capacity to bring change to Nigeria. Oritsejafor also expressed partial agreement with Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi, who separately called on Tinubu to resign and allow a capable hand to take over, though Oritsejafor stopped short of demanding outright resignation.
Nigerian Elections Are 'Fake,' Pastor Charges
When asked about the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) victory in a recent governorship election and other off-cycle polls, Oritsejafor dismissed the results as irrelevant. “The truth is that elections in Nigeria are not free and fair. I will call them fake elections. In fact, I will even go as far as calling it selection, not election, because when you look at the whole setup, the way everything is put together, beginning with the INEC chairman down to those at the wards and everything else, you will see that it is structured in such a way as to fail,” he said.
Leaders Should Be Barred from Foreign Medical Treatment, Schooling
Oritsejafor also argued that government officials should be legally barred from seeking medical treatment abroad or sending their children to foreign schools, asserting that Nigerian leaders live vastly different lives from ordinary citizens.
The clergyman's comments come amid growing criticism of Tinubu's administration over economic hardship, insecurity, and governance failures. The minority leader of the House of Representatives, Fred Agbedi, also recently faulted Tinubu's failure to visit Oyo state following the abduction of schoolchildren and teachers in mid-May, accusing the federal government of failing to take decisive action against mass kidnappings.
