By Ayodele Oni

Former President of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor, has remarked that Nigeria’s economic hardship and security challenges have worsened under the current government.

“The government of Tinubu has done more harm to this nation than we have ever experienced,” he stated.

Speaking on Channels Television’s Politics Today, Oritsejafor pointed out that many of the politicians that relentlessly criticized former President Goodluck Jonathan are now in power but have failed to deliver meaningful improvements for Nigerians

Although he stopped short of demanding Tinubu’s resignation, Oritsejafor urged the president to be realistic about his capacity to tackle the nation’s growing problems.

“I will not sit here and tell him to resign. But I will say this: don’t pretend to know what to do when you don’t. Don’t pretend you can rescue Nigeria from its current state if you know you cannot,” he said.

Oritsejafor who is the founder and senior pastor of Word of Life Bible Church, Warri, also advised Tinubu against pursuing a second term in office.

“Don’t begin to dream of coming back to continue this same mess,” he said.

Oritsejafor defended former President  Jonathan’s record while in office and challenged the credibility of those who branded the former president “clueless,” insisting that the country’s challenges have persisted and in some cases worsened under the leaders who once positioned themselves as better alternatives.

According to Oritsejafor, those who led the charge against Jonathan have yet to justify the expectations they created, raising questions about whether their criticism was driven by genuine concern for Nigeria or political ambition.

“Where are those people now? Are they not the same people today who are in power?

“They called him clueless, yet they would not allow him to implement the policies he believed were necessary.

“They organized protests against him across the country, especially in Lagos.

“The people who sponsored those protests and drove those campaigns are largely the same people in power today. They claimed to have the solutions, but look at where Nigeria is now,” he said.

When asked whether he regretted supporting Jonathan during the 2015 presidential election, Oritsejafor was unequivocal.

“No, I don’t,” he replied.

Although he stopped short of demanding Tinubu’s resignation, Oritsejafor urged the president to be realistic about his capacity to tackle the nation’s growing problems.

He further criticized the administration’s “Renewed Hope” agenda, arguing that many Nigerians are yet to experience any meaningful improvement in their living conditions.

“The average Nigerian today has no hope, except the hope that comes from God,” he remarked.

By Ayodele Oni 

The Presidency has advised Peter Obi, Presidential candidate of National Democratic Congress (NDC) to stop using the social media to harass President Bola Tinubu.

Presidency also reminded Obi that Nigeria does not run a Parliamentary System of government like the United Kingdom (UK). 

These were contained in a reaction to Peter Obi’s comments which called on President Bola Tinubu to  resign.

Obi based his call while  comparing President Tinubu with the British Prime Minister, Keir Starmer who voluntarily resigned on Monday, June 21 for the good of his country.

But in a swift response to Obi’s call, the Presidency described it as not only misplaced, but also a reflection of Obi’s selective and distorted view of Nigeria’s realities since 2023.

The reaction, signed by Bayo Onanuga Special Adviser to the president, stated:

 “His view is also simplistic, as is often the case anytime he opens his mouth. Obi forgets our country does not run a parliamentary system of government like the UK. 

“We run a presidential system, with the president elected to a fixed 4-year term. The people of Ekiti State and the Senatorial constituents in Nasarawa, Enugu, Ondo, and Rivers have just delivered a resounding victory for President Tinubu and his party. 

“The election results, some early referendum of sorts, show that President Tinubu and his party are popular with Nigerians. 

“This should be more concerning for Peter Obi and his new Special Purpose Vehicle, NDC, as we move towards the January 2027 election. 

“Obi should wait until the presidential election to know what the people think of Tinubu’s government. Moving to use X to harangue the President out of office is off the mark and anti-democratic.

 “It is important to note that President Tinubu did not inherit a country in perfect shape. The security challenges we face today are longstanding and deeply rooted. 

“Yet under President Tinubu’s leadership, Nigeria has made significant, measurable progress. Hundreds of people have been rescued from captivity, including high-profile operations in Borno and the Northwest. 

“Our gallant troops have neutralised terrorist kingpins, sometimes with the help of our foreign allies. Over 15,000 terrorists have been taken off the streets and forests, and security operations have intensified nationwide. 

“President Tinubu has not only sustained but also expanded investments in security by deploying advanced technologies and drones, and by appointing a Special Adviser on Homeland Security to ensure a holistic approach. 

“These actions demonstrate commitment, not failure. It is laughable that Obi, who, as governor, was a colossal failure, unable to secure lives and property in his small state of Anambra, as documented by his successor, Willie Obiano, is now the one calling for President Tinubu’s resignation over security breaches in some parts of the country.”

It also listed gains in economic front to include :

 “On the economic front, Obi’s depiction of decline and his verdict that ‘We are in the worst possible condition’ ignore verifiable data and global plaudits for President Tinubu’s economic and social policies. 

“President Tinubu inherited what another successor of Peter Obi described as ‘a dead horse economy’. 

“When he came on board in May 2023, President Tinubu introduced bold, courageous policies that his predecessors had shied away from. 

“Since then, the Nigerian economy has posted positive GDP growth every quarter, surpassing the global average. 

“Trade surpluses have been recorded consistently, and foreign reserves have hit new highs—over $50 billion. Oil production has risen from less than one million barrels per day to about 1.8 million, reversing years of decline. 

“Federation revenue is projected to hit over N30 trillion this year, far above the 2022 level of N7.7 trillion. By May this year, N15.7 trillion has already been collected, more than twice the entire revenue collected in 2022. 

“State governments now have more resources to pursue development projects in education, infrastructure, health care, housing, and so on. The stock market has soared, with the All-Share Index rising from 50,000 to over 250,000, creating wealth for about 6 million Nigerian investors. 

“The Naira-to-dollar exchange rate has been stable. Foreign Direct and Portfolio Investments are at record highs, reflecting renewed investor confidence, especially in the oil and gas sector.”