“Nigeria does not need a government that remembers the suffering of its citizens only when it needs their votes. Nigeria needs leadership that remembers the people every single day it remains in power”.
BY TAKE NIGERIA BACK.com
I actually thought President Bola Ahmed Tinubu had done enough to secure his re-election seamlessly, considering that political survival has been the overriding priority of his administration since inception.
If there is one thing this government seems to have pursued with remarkable determination, it is the consolidation of political power ahead of governance, yet the unfolding events suggest that Tinubu may have seriously overestimated the strength of his political machinery and underestimated the anger of Nigerians.
Rather than concentrate on rebuilding the economy, creating opportunities, reducing the cost of living, and restoring hope to millions of suffering citizens, he was more preoccupied with securing another term in office.
As Nigerians are struggling to survive the consequences of his economic policies, accumulation of wealth through his close associates, including his friend Chagoury and the Chief of Staff, was all he was interested in.
While these monies were lavished by his wife and son including political associates like Wike, Umahi etc to advance his political interests, he did not care. This exposes what many see as a troubling disconnect between the government and the people it is supposed to serve.
The fundamental question is this: what exactly has Tinubu done with the enormous political power at his disposal?
He has over 30 governors, more than 90% of the senators, an overwhelming majority in the House of Representatives, numerous local government chairmen, and virtually the entire federal cabinet on his side. With such an extraordinary concentration of political power, there should be no excuse for poor coordination, policy inconsistency, or the failure to respond to the suffering of Nigerians. If this overwhelming political advantage has not translated into tangible improvements in the lives of ordinary citizens, then what purpose has it served beyond consolidating power and pursuing re-election?
This is where Tinubu’s political miscalculation becomes glaring. He appears to have mistaken control of political institutions for control of public opinion. Having governors, legislators, ministers, and political loyalists on your side does not mean that hungry citizens are satisfied, struggling families are comfortable, or unemployed youths are grateful. Political structures can deliver endorsements, but they cannot manufacture genuine public confidence where the lived experiences of the people tell a different story.
Now, as the political atmosphere becomes increasingly challenging, the government is suddenly churning out policies to cushion the effects of the very hardship it has consistently downplayed or denied. First, it was the much-touted 10-point succour plan; now, it is the three-month suffering alleviation plan.
Why the sudden urgency? Why now? And why should Nigerians believe that a government that has repeatedly failed to adequately address their suffering has suddenly discovered compassion just as the next election approaches?
The timing is difficult to ignore. A three-month relief programme introduced so close to an election inevitably raises questions about whether the objective is genuine economic relief or electoral damage control. Nigerians are entitled to ask whether these interventions are designed to solve their problems or merely to calm public anger long enough to secure another mandate. Your guess is as good as mine.
And what happens when the three months are over? Will the government have addressed the structural causes of the economic crisis, or will Nigerians be left to face the same hardship, possibly under even more difficult conditions, once the votes have been secured? A government that cannot provide credible assurances about what happens after a temporary relief programme has expired is not offering a sustainable solution; it is merely postponing the problem while hoping to reap political dividends.
The tragedy is that Nigerians do not need another collection of hurriedly assembled relief packages. They need competent economic management, predictable policies, meaningful employment, affordable food, accessible healthcare, and a government that understands that the purpose of political power is public service, not political self-preservation. You cannot impoverish a population through your policies and then expect temporary relief measures to buy back the trust you have squandered.
Kudos to our Northern brothers for taking the lead in challenging this administration and demanding a better future for Nigeria. Their actions are a reminder that political loyalty is not unconditional and that no political establishment, however powerful, should consider itself beyond the reach of public accountability. The struggle to rescue Nigeria from this tragedy of bad governance must be driven by the collective determination of citizens who refuse to accept suffering as the price of leadership.
Perhaps one of the most striking indications of the changing political atmosphere is the reported deployment of security personnel to protect the President’s posters ahead of a mega rally. For a president with such an extensive political network and overwhelming institutional backing, this raises an uncomfortable question: why should the protection of campaign posters become a security concern? Although the incident alone cannot establish the extent of his unpopularity, it presents a striking contrast between the power the administration commands within political institutions and the public acceptance it must still earn outside them.
This is the reality Tinubu and his political associates must confront: political dominance is not the same as popular legitimacy, and the machinery of government cannot indefinitely shield a leader from the consequences of policies that impose unbearable hardship on the people.
Elections are not won permanently by counting governors, senators, legislators, ministers, or political defectors. Ultimately, the people must decide whether a government deserves another opportunity to lead them. No amount of political maneuvering, propaganda, or last-minute financial relief can automatically erase the memory of economic suffering or compensate for years of disappointment.
If Tinubu believes that controlling the political establishment is enough to guarantee his re-election, then he may be heading for a rude awakening. Nigerians are not merely statistics on an electoral spreadsheet, nor are they pawns to be manipulated with temporary relief whenever an election approaches. They are citizens whose dignity, livelihoods, and future have been placed at stake.
Nigeria does not need a government that remembers the suffering of its citizens only when it needs their votes. Nigeria needs leadership that remembers the people every single day it remains in power.
That is the difference between genuine governance and an endless campaign for political survival.
…@TakeNigeriaBackFromBadLeaders.com
