Erosion of democratic balance ‘troubling, dangerous’
Open Letter to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu
By Chief Olabode Ibiyinka George
Mr. President,
This is not a routine correspondence; it is a deeply held conviction from my heart. I write as a man who has given over half a century to the service of Nigeria, a country whose stability, unity, and democratic future are now under visible strain.
I speak out of conviction, experience, and a duty to truth. My reflections arise not from anger or partisanship, but from a place of sincere patriotism, responsibility, and an abiding faith in Almighty God. Nigeria is drifting dangerously. What is unfolding within our political space today raises grave concern. The increasing suppression direct or indirect of opposition voices, the apparent drive toward political dominance without restraint, and the erosion of democratic balance are not merely troubling; they are signals of a system under stress and heading towards potential rupture.
Let me state this plainly:
Democracy cannot survive where opposition is weakened, ridiculed, or systematically neutralised. A country governed without credible dissent is not stable, it is volatile. And volatility, once ignited, respects no office, no title, and no authority.
Mr. President, history is littered with leaders who mistook control for strength.They surrounded themselves with applause, silenced criticism, and dismissed warnings until reality corrected them, often irreversibly. I request you fervently not to walk that path.
The assumption that power can be consolidated without consequence is a grave miscalculation. The belief that influence, patronage, or financial leverage can substitute for justice and fairness is equally flawed.
As one of the global economic thinkers, Professor Ross Gittins rightly observed societies do not find stability in material appeasement alone. As, material incentives and political patronage do not create lasting satisfaction or loyalty. Money does not define leadership and cannot buy legitimacy. It cannot command respect, and certainly cannot secure legacy.
What sustains leadership is trust and trust is built on fairness, equity, transparency and justice. Today, that trust is under pressure.
Nigerians are not merely concerned they are watching. They are burdened by economic hardship, rising costs, and a growing sense of uncertainty. In such a climate, any perception rightly or wrongly of political suppression becomes combustible.
Let me be unequivocal: a nation under economic strain cannot afford political provocation. This is how instability begins not suddenly, but gradually through decisions that appear strategic in the moment but prove destructive in consequence.
Mr. President, you stand at a decisive crossroad. You can choose to correct course, strengthen democratic institutions, and restore national confidence. Or you can allow the current trajectory to continue, one that risks deepening division and inviting consequences that no administration can fully control.
There is also a matter of counsel. Those who tell you that all is well, those who dismiss legitimate concerns, who encourage aggressive political consolidation, who interpret caution as weakness are not safeguarding your leadership; they are endangering it.
Leadership demands the courage to hear the truth, not just loyalty. Let me remind you: Power is temporary. History is permanent. No leader escapes the judgement of history. The question is not whether your tenure will end; it will end.
The question is how it will be remembered. Nigeria, once the undisputed Giant of Africa, now faces the risk of diminished relevance. Nations once considered smaller or less stable are advancing in governance, electoral credibility, and institutional discipline while we struggle with avoidable internal tensions. This is not acceptable.
As we approach critical judicial decisions, particularly from the Supreme Court, every action taken by leadership must reinforce, not weaken the integrity of our institutions. Anything less sends a dangerous message both within and beyond our borders.
Mr. President, I say this with all sincerity and urgency. If the current course is not urgently reviewed and corrected, the consequences may be far-reaching. Nations do not collapse overnight, they unravel through a series of ignored warnings.
This is one of those warnings, if ignored, could be severe. You have been entrusted by God and by circumstance with leadership at a critical moment in Nigeria’s history. Use it wisely. Correct course where necessary. Restore confidence where it has been lost. Protect the democratic space, not shrink it. That trust must not be squandered.
Act with courage.
Act with restraint.
Act with justice.
Distance yourself from sycophants. Embrace truth and act with courage. Remove those who mislead you.
Listen to voices of reason.
Protect the democratic space.
Save Nigeria from avoidable crisis. Protect its democracy. Preserve its unity. Secure its future.
Finally, Mr. President, I must emphasise that the integrity of our electoral process must remain sacrosanct. There must be no manipulation whatsoever by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in any form or manner.
The will of the Nigerian people must be respected and allowed to prevail freely, transparently, and without interference. Anything short of this undermines democracy and risks eroding the very foundation of our nation’s unity and legitimacy.
May God grant you the wisdom to discern truth, the humility to act on it, and the strength to lead rightly.
Yours sincerely,
Chief Olabode Ibiyinka George
Atona Oodua of Yorubaland
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