In what many describe as one of his boldest political interventions yet, former Minister of Interior and ex-Governor of Osun State, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, has accused the All Progressives Congress (APC) of suffering from a dangerous “Samson Complex,” warning that the ruling party is prepared to drag Nigeria down with it in its last gasp of political recklessness.
In a Facebook post that has since gone viral, Aregbesola declared that “some of us have emerged from the ashes of the ruins of APC and PDP to chart a new and different course for the nation.” According to him, Nigeria can no longer be left in the grip of two parties that have lost both credibility and vision.
“APC is demonstrating the Samson Complex by trying to pull down the nation on its head as its last act of political savagery. Nigeria is bleeding and the people are groaning. But the APC government is feasting,” he wrote.
A Bleeding Nation, A Feasting Elite
Aregbesola’s remarks mirror the lived experiences of millions of Nigerians. Inflation now stands above 34 percent, food inflation hovers near 40 percent, and basic staples like rice and beans have more than tripled in price within two years. According to the National Bureau of Statistics, over 130 million Nigerians are currently living in multidimensional poverty.
Meanwhile, insecurity continues to ravage the land. In Zamfara, Katsina, Niger, and Plateau states, bandits and terrorists dictate when villagers may farm or even sleep. In the South-East, separatist violence has made highways unsafe. In the South-South, oil theft and pipeline vandalism drain billions from the economy monthly. Yet, in Aregbesola’s words, “the government is feasting” — with an ever-expanding bureaucracy, unchecked foreign loans, and endless political jamborees.
The Samson Complex: A Political Suicide Mission
By invoking the biblical “Samson Complex,” Aregbesola paints a grim picture of a ruling party willing to collapse Nigeria rather than face political extinction. Just as Samson, blinded and captured, pulled down the pillars of a temple, killing both himself and his enemies, Aregbesola suggests the APC is prepared to sacrifice the entire nation in a reckless spiral of bad governance, corruption, and authoritarianism.
Political analysts argue that his choice of metaphor is deliberate. “The Samson Complex implies that APC knows its days are numbered and would rather destroy the system than lose control,” said Dr. Chika Nwosu, a political science lecturer at the University of Lagos. “It is an alarming but fitting description of what many Nigerians already feel.”
Will Nigeria Survive Four Years Of Tinubu?
Aregbesola did not stop at criticizing his former party; he threw down the gauntlet with a question reverberating across social spaces: “The question on everyone’s lips is whether Nigeria will survive the four years of this administration.”
This remark has stirred heated debate. Supporters of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu insist reforms take time, while critics accuse him of worsening an already fragile situation. The removal of fuel subsidy on Tinubu’s first day in office sparked unprecedented hikes in transportation and food costs. Power tariffs have climbed, unemployment remains stubbornly high, and the naira continues its freefall, trading at over ₦2,000 to the dollar in some markets.
For the average Nigerian, survival has become a daily battle. “We don’t even talk about tomorrow anymore,” lamented Mallam Ibrahim, a farmer in Katsina. “We only ask if we will eat today.”
A New Political Path
Aregbesola’s post signals more than frustration — it hints at a growing political realignment. Across the country, conversations are shifting from waiting for APC or PDP to reform themselves, to the possibility of birthing a new coalition strong enough to challenge the status quo. Already, whispers abound of a Third Force movement, bringing together defectors from APC, PDP, Labour Party, and ADC under one umbrella.
For now, Aregbesola stands as one of the few high-profile politicians publicly questioning the survival of Nigeria under its present trajectory. His words resonate with a populace battered by hardship and disillusioned by broken promises. Whether he emerges as a leader of the next political movement or remains a vocal critic, one thing is certain: by invoking the Samson Complex, Aregbesola has forced Nigerians to confront the possibility that the APC might be steering the nation toward a political and economic collapse.