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…Says Nigeria’s democracy, stability at risk
…Urges president to distance himself from sycophants, protect opposition voices
By Chinelo Obogo
Former Deputy National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Olabode George, has issued a warning to President Bola Tinubu, cautioning that Nigeria’s democracy, unity, and political stability are under serious threat and urging the president to urgently reverse what he described as a dangerous trajectory.
In an open letter addressed to the president, George said his concerns stemmed not from partisan anger but from “sincere patriotism, responsibility, and an abiding faith in Almighty God.”
He said that Nigeria is drifting dangerously with the increasing suppression of opposition voices, the drive toward political dominance without restraint, and the erosion of democratic balance” as signs of a system “heading towards potential rupture.”
He warned that a country governed without credible dissent is not stable but volatile and urged the president to learn from history, warning against the mistake of leaders who “mistook control for strength” and “surrounded themselves with applause” until reality overtook them. He said that advisers encouraging aggressive political consolidation are “not safeguarding the President’s leadership but are endangering it.
George linked Nigeria’s economy to the political situation, noting that a nation under economic strain cannot afford political provocation.
The elder statesman also spoke on the independence of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), insisting that the integrity of Nigeria’s electoral process “must remain sacrosanct” and that there must be “no manipulation whatsoever” of future elections.
He said the will of the Nigerian people must be respected and allowed to prevail freely, transparently, and without interference.
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George called on Tinubu to strengthen democratic institutions, restore national confidence, and protect rather than shrink the democratic space especially as the country awaits critical rulings from the Supreme Court.
The letter reads: “The increasing suppression direct or indirect of opposition voices, the apparent drive toward political dominance without restraint, and the erosion of democratic balance are not merely troubling; they are signals of a system under stress and heading towards potential rupture.
”Let me state this plainly: Democracy cannot survive where opposition is weakened, ridiculed, or systematically neutralised. A country governed without credible dissent is not stable, it is volatile. And volatility, once ignited, respects no office, no title, and no authority. Mr. President, history is littered with leaders who mistook control for strength. They surrounded themselves with applause, silenced criticism, and dismissed warnings until reality corrected them, often irreversibly. I request you fervently not to walk that path.
“The assumption that power can be consolidated without consequence is a grave miscalculation. The belief that influence, patronage, or financial leverage can substitute for justice and fairness is equally flawed. What sustains leadership is trust and trust is built on fairness, equity, transparency and justice. Today, that trust is under pressure.
Nigerians are not merely concerned they are watching. They are burdened by economic hardship, rising costs, and a growing sense of uncertainty. In such a climate, any perception rightly or wrongly of political suppression becomes combustible.
“A nation under economic strain cannot afford political provocation. This is how instability begins not suddenly, but gradually through decisions that appear strategic in the moment but prove destructive in consequence. Mr. President, you stand at a decisive crossroad. You can choose to correct course, strengthen democratic institutions, and restore national confidence. Or you can allow the current trajectory to continue, one that risks deepening division and inviting consequences that no administration can fully control.
”As we approach critical judicial decisions, particularly from the Supreme Court, every action taken by leadership must reinforce, not weaken the integrity of our institutions. Anything less sends a dangerous message both within and beyond our borders. Mr. President, I say this with all sincerity and urgency. If the current course is not urgently reviewed and corrected, the consequences may be far-reaching. Nations do not collapse overnight, they unravel through a series of ignored warnings.
“This is one of those warnings, if ignored, could be severe. You have been entrusted by God and by circumstance with leadership at a critical moment in Nigeria’s history. Use it wisely. Correct course where necessary. Restore confidence where it has been lost. Protect the democratic space, not shrink it. That trust must not be squandered.”
