In a rare and blistering criticism from within the ruling party, a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Jesutega Onokpasa, has declared that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has "failed woefully" in delivering the promises of good governance, warning that unless drastic improvements are made, the President risks becoming a one-term leader.
Speaking during an interview on Arise Television on Sunday, Onokpasa did not mince words, stating that the current administration has been unable to ease the hardships faced by Nigerians, despite riding into office on the hopes of renewed progress and economic revival.
According to the APC stalwart, the leadership appears to be more concerned with celebrating defections from the opposition than with the critical task of governance. Onokpasa specifically dismissed the much-publicized defection of Delta State Governor Sheriff Oborevwori to the APC — notably referring to him as his cousin — arguing that such political maneuvers are inconsequential in the face of deep-rooted public discontent.
“It’s not about who joins us; it’s about whether we are governing well. In that sense, we have failed woefully,” Onokpasa declared, adding that the masses have yet to feel the promised relief under Tinubu’s leadership. He stressed that defections, often paraded as political victories, are an insult to the electorate who voted based on expectations of real change, not political theater.
Onokpasa's candid remarks come at a time of growing public frustration over rising inflation, food insecurity, and a general economic downturn exacerbated by the removal of the fuel subsidy and a struggling naira. Critics have warned that without urgent corrective actions, the APC could face a brutal backlash at the polls in 2027.
The APC chieftain's warning underscores internal dissatisfaction within the ruling party and highlights the urgent need for President Tinubu to refocus his administration on governance rather than political expansionism. As voices like Onokpasa’s grow louder, it remains to be seen whether Tinubu will heed the call to course-correct before it is too late.