Tinubu Govt Destroying The Structures Of Nigeria’s Federation – Afenifere

Pan-Yoruba sociopolitical organization, Afenifere, has criticized the policies of President Bola Tinubu’s administration, saying it is working against democratic federalism.

The group added that the actions of President Tinubu have been autocratic and targeted at silencing all dissenting voices.

Naijaonpoint reports that the position of Afenifere was made known by the faction loyal to late Pa Ayo Adebanjo in a statement signed by its leader, Oba Oladipo Olaitan and National Publicity Secretary, Prince Justice Faloye.

The group argued that the current administration led by Tinubu is “de-structuring the Nigerian federation” and “stifling democratic freedoms.”

It accused the Tinubu government of usurping the federating units, the judiciary and the legislative arm, displaying unrestricted abuse of basic rights of freedom of speech and association, spiralling insecurity, and destruction of the country’s economic fabric, among other things.

It also specifically condemned the ban of the song, ‘Tell Your Papa’ by Eedris Abdulkareem.

According to the Afenifere faction, “Instead of restructuring towards a prosperous egalitarian federation, President Tinubu is destructuring Nigeria with his autocratic attack on the fundamental pillars of democratic federalism.

“With the blatant usurpation of the federating units, the judiciary and the legislative arm, the abuse of basic rights of freedom of speech and association, spiralling insecurity, and destruction of our economic fabric, and among other things, we can’t but wonder how much more can the federation take before imploding, and the wheels come off our manifest destiny.

“Freedom of speech, a basic tenet of democracy, has repeatedly been under attack. This suppression of democratic freedoms, most instantiated by the banning of ‘Tell Your Papa’ by Eedris Abdulkareem, a fair response to the atrocious claims made by Seyi Tinubu on the state of the nation.

“The autocratic ban signals a leadership tendency that is disconnected from citizens’ realities, essentially inclined to maintaining autocratic control than fostering a milieu of freedom and creativity. The ban destructs the principles of democracy, is evidence of the increasing disregard for dissenting voices in Nigeria, potentially silencing artists and stifling creativity and the progress we need to move forward as a society.”

Growing Insecurity

The group blamed the growing insecurity and attacks in some parts of the country on the inability of the government to manage the affairs of citizens, leading to frustration in many quarters.

“Insecurity incidents, as contained in the recent report of HumAngle’s Conflict Tracker, have accounted for the death of 1,420 Nigerians, with over 537 reportedly kidnapped across the country in the first quarter of 2025,” it said.

Demand For State Police

Afenifere, however, said the establishment of State Police would go a long way in addressing the various security challenges. It also called on the government to consider ranching as a way to prevent further clashes among farmers and herders in the country.

“The renewed unrestrained violence of Fulani herdsmen and bandits highlight the need for the government to address the root cause of these conflicts-open grazing- and outrightly ban it, while enforcing and promoting the more sustainable and safe alternative- ranching.”

“Specifically, we call on the government to deploy effective security strategies to protect lives and property, ensuring Nigerians can live without fear of violence or attack. We, again, call for the establishment of state police to complement existing internal security architecture.

“Politics aside, all management principles and best practices inform us that a single police hierarchy is not sufficient to provide the security required by a nation of our size and diversity.

“Yet due to personal political consideration, the Tinubu government has refused to create State Police as killings and kidnapping rise, threatening our national cohesiveness,” the group added.