Give Tinubu a break, says Ikechukwu Amaechi

A week ago, a scathing critique of President Bola Tinubu's erosion of Nigeria's democratic foundations sparked a flurry of reactions, with some readers accusing the author of harboring "Tinubuphobia" and questioning why no positive aspects of his leadership were acknowledged.

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A particularly intriguing response was posed as a question: "How was Tinubu able to achieve this unprecedented political feat of total state capture, and are we all compromised or hypnotised?" This query cuts to the heart of the matter, as the country is witnessing the total domination of its socio-political and economic landscape by one individual.

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Tinubu's grip on power is so absolute that if he were to seek a third term or life presidency, the National Assembly, as currently constituted, would likely acquiesce to his demands, given that they owe their positions to his mandate.

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Senate President Godwill Akpabio, who also serves as Chairman of the National Assembly, has repeatedly vowed to carry out the president's bidding, leaving little doubt about the legislative body's willingness to comply with Tinubu's wishes.

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The opposition, having been thoroughly outmaneuvered, now seeks divine intervention, drawing parallels with the late General Sani Abacha's stranglehold on power, which was only broken by his death on June 8, 1998.

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The same five political parties that backed Abacha – the United Nigeria Congress Party, Congress for National Consensus, National Centre Party of Nigeria, Democratic Party of Nigeria, and Grassroots Democratic Movement – are now seen as complicit in the erosion of democracy, having opted for autocracy over democratic principles.

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Those genuinely aggrieved by the current state of affairs have adopted a "Siddon Look" approach, passively waiting for change, but as Canadian filmmaker James Cameron once said, "Hope is not a strategy, luck is not a factor, and fear is not an option."

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The notion that God might intervene to remove Tinubu from power is seen as naive, given that the same divine intervention that ended Abacha's rule did not necessarily lead to a better outcome for Nigerians.

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It is argued that God will not intervene to rectify the situation, as it is the responsibility of citizens to address bad leadership, rather than outsourcing this task to a higher power.

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Tinubu has, surprisingly, gotten away with more than any other Nigerian leader, civilian or military, despite initially being written off, with many wondering how he has managed to consolidate power so effectively.

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Under his watch, Tinubu has done more to impoverish Nigerians than all his predecessors combined, with life becoming increasingly meaningless, even as he embarks on international trips, such as a recent two-day state visit to the United Kingdom.

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This visit, which took place a day after 23 people were killed and hundreds injured in a series of suicide bombings in Maiduguri, was attended by Akpabio, several governors, and at least nine ministers, including the Minister of Defence, General Christopher Musa, National Security Adviser, Malam Nuhu Ribadu, and Director-General of the National Intelligence Agency, Ambassador Mohammed Mohammed.

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The presence of these high-ranking officials on the trip raises questions about who is left to coordinate the response to the country's insecurity challenges.

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Tinubu's own past criticisms of the Goodluck Jonathan administration's handling of Boko Haram attacks now seem hollow, given the current state of insecurity, which has prompted opposition leaders to seek divine intervention.

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Tinubu's 2022 campaign promise to provide steady electricity within his first four years in office now seems like a distant memory, with the situation having worsened, and yet Nigerians remain passive, waiting for God to deliver them from his leadership.

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The question on many minds is how Tinubu has become so powerful, with some accusing him of blackmailing the opposition, including governors, to achieve his goals, while others point to Ribadu as the chief enforcer behind his strategy.

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With the 2027 elections looming, the opposition is in disarray, unable to hold meetings, register new members, or even welcome defectors, while Yoruba irredentists warn that anyone opposed to Tinubu's ambition should steer clear of the Southwest.

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The once-vibrant political landscape has been reduced to a state of hypnosis, with Nigerian politicians seemingly castrated, and men of yesterday transformed into political eunuchs, leaving many to wonder what secrets Tinubu knows that they do not.