Speaking in an exclusive interview with Vanguard, the former African Action Congress (AAC) presidential candidate and convener of the Revolution Now movement said Tinubu's leadership has accelerated Nigeria's decline, surpassing even the widely criticised administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari.

As Nigeria prepares to mark another Democracy Day, human rights activist, Omoyele Sowore, has delivered a scathing indictment of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu's administration, warning that Nigerians committed a "grave mistake" by electing him into office.

Speaking in an exclusive interview with Vanguard, the former African Action Congress (AAC) presidential candidate and convener of the Revolution Now movement said Tinubu's leadership has accelerated Nigeria's decline, surpassing even the widely criticised administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari.

“My position on this government is not a thought—it’s a clear stance I’ve held long before the 2023 elections. Nigerians made a grave mistake voting Bola Tinubu into office,” he said.

“I said it before, and I’ll say it again: when Tinubu is done with this country, Nigerians will be begging to return to Buhari’s era. He has done irreparable damage—economically, socially, politically. He has crippled institutions, education, and democracy. Buhari killed Nigeria in eight years; Tinubu came, in two years he is burying it.”

According to Sowore, Tinubu's policies have deepened poverty, crippled institutions, and eroded democratic values.

He lamented that the country now teeters on the edge of a full collapse, as citizens lose faith in both the electoral process and the very concept of democracy.

“What Nigerians are whispering—dangerously—is that they no longer believe in democracy,” he said. “The promises of democracy—free speech, credible elections, freedom to choose—have been destroyed. Today, people celebrate military dictators just to express their frustration. But to be clear, I don’t support military rules. What we have now is a shambolic democracy.”

No Faith in 2027 Elections

Sowore, who has contested presidential elections and led mass protests against bad governance, was unequivocal in his stance against the current electoral system. He said he would continue to resist a proposed law by the House of Representatives to make voting compulsory, describing it as an attempt to manufacture legitimacy through coercion.

“If you have to use threats to force people to vote, then democracy is dead. Democracy is about choice. You cannot force people to participate in a system they no longer believe in,” he said.

“That proposal is not about participation; it’s about forced legitimacy. They’re panicking because fewer people are voting, so they want to cook up numbers and call it turnout. The people making these laws already know I will stand against them.”

When asked whether he intends to run for office again in 2027, Sowore responded that he does not believe in the current electoral framework while he never stops "running"—through protests, campaigns, or legal advocacy.

“But if you’re asking about elections, I don’t believe in the current ballot system. The 2027 results are already written,” he said. “The only thing that can change Nigeria is rebellion against the system, against another sham election, not against democracy, anyway.”

No Alliance with Atiku Abubakar or Peter Obi

Sowore distanced himself from the Peoples Democratic Party and Labour Party 2023 presidential candidates, Atiku Abubakar and Peter Obi respectively, insisting that Nigeria’s political problems cannot be solved by switching candidates within the same broken system.

While many believe Nigeria’s opposition has become increasingly muted since the 2023 elections, Sowore argued that what currently passes for opposition lacks ideological clarity and conviction.

“That’s because what you call opposition isn’t opposition. Most of them are former APC or PDP members. They share the same ideology—or lack of one. Real opposition means clear ideological difference. What we have are political mercenaries looking for the best-paying camp,” he said.

“Most of these defections are transactional. They’re not about values or service. If you dig deeper, you’ll realise they’re just fighting over how to share the loot, not about how to serve the people.”

Sowore also provided an update on his ongoing campaign to oust the Inspector General of Police, claiming some results have already been achieved.

“Over 1,000 illegally retained senior police officers have been forced out. Police officers who haven’t been promoted in 20 years are now getting promoted. It has created a shift. But the ultimate goal is to get the IGP to resign—he’s overstayed. We haven’t given up,” he said.

Asked about former Vice President Atiku’s continued relevance in Nigerian politics, Sowore dismissed him outright.

“Atiku is a man whose time has passed. But he’s still hanging around, hoping to be President. That’s all he cares about. Everything else is irrelevant to him.”

Addressing concerns about his radical views and criticisms from some quarters that he is excessively radical, Sowore stated, “I don’t think I’m radical enough. People who say that haven’t studied history. Every meaningful change in this world came through so-called radicals.

“I will not water down my convictions to please those who want me to fit into a box. The louder voices online don’t represent the majority of Nigerians. Those who truly suffer in this country know what I stand for—and they agree.”

Sowore criticised economic policies under Tinubu—particularly the removal of fuel subsidy and the floating of the naira—as anti-people and disastrous in their outcomes.

“They are being deceived. There’s nothing good coming from this. Removing fuel subsidy, floating the naira—none of it benefits ordinary people,” he said.

“The naira is still collapsing. Prices are rising. If they say this is the “hard road to prosperity”, I say it’s a road to destruction.”

As Nigeria marks another Democracy Day on June 12, Sowore’s warning offers a sobering counter-narrative to official celebration. For him, the current administration is not laying a foundation for progress—it is digging the nation deeper into ruin.

“When Tinubu is done with this country, Nigerians will be begging to return to Buhari’s era,” he said, noting that it shows how bad the situation is getting.