Human rights activist and former presidential candidate Omoyele Sowore has criticised President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration, describing it as more destructive than that of former President Muhammadu Buhari.

In an exclusive interview with Vanguard, Sowore, who leads the Revolution Now movement and contested the 2023 presidential election under the African Action Congress (AAC), said the country is rapidly collapsing under Tinubu’s rule and warned that Nigerians are losing faith in democracy.

“Nigerians made a grave mistake voting Bola Tinubu into officeBuhari killed Nigeria in eight years; Tinubu came, in two years he is burying it,” Sowore declared.

He accused the administration of crippling the economy, damaging democratic institutions, and deepening social inequality. According to him, policies such as the removal of fuel subsidies and the floating of the naira have devastated the lives of ordinary Nigerians.

“There’s nothing good coming from this. Removing fuel subsidy, floating the naira—none of it benefits the people. If they say this is the hard road to prosperity, I say it’s the road to destruction,” he said.

“Shambolic democracy”

Sowore expressed deep concern over growing public disillusionment with democracy, warning that citizens are becoming nostalgic for military rule, not out of preference, but out of frustration.

“What Nigerians are whispering—dangerously—is that they no longer believe in democracy. Free speech, credible elections, the freedom to choose—those promises have been broken. What we have now is a shambolic democracy,” he said.

Opposition to compulsory voting, 2027 elections

Sowore also rejected a proposed law from the House of Representatives to make voting compulsory, describing it as an attempt to force legitimacy on a broken system.

“If you have to use threats to force people to vote, then democracy is dead. That’s not participation—it’s coercion,” he stated.

When asked about his political future, Sowore dismissed the current electoral system as fraudulent and predetermined.

“The 2027 results are already written. The only thing that can change Nigeria is rebellion against the system, not against democracy,” he said.

He was also critical of opposition figures such as Atiku Abubakar and Peter Obi, insisting they offer no real alternative.

“Most of them are just political mercenaries looking for the best-paying camp. They don’t represent real opposition, they represent failed ideologies,” he said.

IGP must go, Atiku’s time is up

Sowore reiterated his push for the resignation of Inspector General of Police Kayode Egbetokun, claiming that advocacy efforts have already led to the dismissal of over 1,000 illegally retained senior police officers and long-overdue promotions for others.

“The goal remains to get the IGP to resign, he’s overstayed,” he said.

On Atiku Abubakar’s continued involvement in national politics, Sowore was blunt: “Atiku is a man whose time has passed. He’s just hanging around, still hoping to be President.”

“I’m not radical enough”

Responding to critics who label him a radical, Sowore said history vindicates radicalism.

“Every meaningful change in this world came through so-called radicals. I won’t dilute my convictions to appease the elite. The people who suffer the most in this country know where I stand—and they agree,” he said.

As the nation marks Democracy Day, Sowore’s powerful rebuke of the current administration serves as a pointed contrast to the celebratory mood expected from government quarters.

“When Tinubu is done with this country, Nigerians will be begging to return to Buhari’s era. That should terrify everyone,” he said.