There is a disturbing yet growing pattern by which the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu continues to muzzle free speech and, in so doing, erode the integrity of the democratic ethos that define our nation.
It is a development that should trouble every Nigerian, for if this creeping culture of repression continues unchecked, it will ultimately turn the Federal Government into a bully — and make subjects of free citizens.
The Silencing of Voices
The roll call of Nigerians currently on trial or languishing in detention facilities across the country is far too long to recount. For months now, both local and international human rights organisations have drawn attention to the steady descent of the Tinubu administration into the shadows of dictatorship.
Under the obnoxious Cyberstalking Act, this government has metamorphosed into a leviathan — one that thrives on fear and seeks to silence the very voices that sustain democracy. This is an aberration, an affront to freedom, and it must be roundly rejected.
The so-called Cyberstalking Act is a chilling reminder of the infamous Sedition Laws that many civilized nations have long discarded. In the 21st century, it is unthinkable that the Government of Nigeria — or any government, for that matter — should seek to control free speech, that sacred pillar of liberty and the lifeblood of democracy.
The People vs. Power
Any law that impedes, suppresses, or limits the right of citizens to make critical remarks about their leaders — whether on digital highways, in print, or through spoken word — is undemocratic and a direct assault on the spirit of fundamental human rights.
In the two and a half years since the Tinubu administration began unleashing its cocktail of economic hardship, hunger, and despair on the Nigerian people, we have witnessed protests and outcries from citizens who can no longer bear the weight of bad governance. Yet, rather than listen, the government has chosen the path of brute force and intimidation — treating dissent as treason and turning peaceful protesters into prisoners.
It is tragic, indeed, that such violations of constitutionally guaranteed rights are occurring at a time when our democracy ought to be maturing. We must remind the Tinubu regime that no government, no matter how powerful, is greater than the people. To attempt otherwise is impolitic, preposterous, and destined to fail.
A Government Without Restraint
While it is true that the government bears the responsibility to maintain law and order, no responsible administration fires live canisters at peaceful protesters or hides behind ambiguous laws to arrest and re-arrest citizens who have been granted bail by competent courts.
The Tinubu government’s disregard for the rule of law and persistent disobedience of court orders have become its most infamous credentials. Human rights groups, both at home and abroad, have repeatedly raised the alarm, yet the pattern persists.
From journalists jailed for speaking truth to power, to citizens arrested during the #EndBadGovernance protests, Nigerians continue to suffer persecution simply for daring to think, to speak, or to protest. If truth be told, this regime may have surpassed all its predecessors in the reckless use of state power to crush public opinion.
The Erosion of Institutions
Since the inception of this administration, Amnesty International has consistently faulted its human rights record. Other reputable bodies such as the Nigeria Union of Journalists and Media Rights Agenda have cried out against the jackboot oppression of journalists and citizens by state agents whose only mission seems to be to stifle dissent.
Today, President Tinubu and his government behave as though they are sovereigns over the people. As they continue to suffocate dissent, they also attempt to subdue opposition parties and silence every voice of reason.
Even institutions that should act as checks on executive excesses — legislatures, oversight agencies, and the judiciary — have become mere rubber stamps, their leaders tripping over themselves to sing the praises of a president few dare to question.
The Final Reckoning
As a democrat and stakeholder in the opposition, I am convinced that the 2027 general election will be a defining moment — a contest not merely between parties, but between the Tinubu hegemony and the will of the Nigerian people.
And history bears eternal witness to one truth: no despot no matter how powerful, has ever triumphed over the collective voice of a determined people.
* Atiku Abubakar was Nigerian Vice-President, 1999-2007
