African Renaissance Movement warns of growing authoritarianism under Tinubu

The African Renaissance Movement has raised alarm over what it describes as the steady and dangerous erosion of Nigeria’s democratic values under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

In a press statement titled “Democracy in Retreat: The Spiritual, Economic, and Political Cost of Silencing Dissent in Nigeria”, the group accused the current administration of consolidating power at the expense of political freedom and national unity.

According to the movement’s convener, Dr. Aliyu Audu, the trend is “subtle but dangerous,” and is being orchestrated through “President Tinubu’s strategic alliance with the Minister of the FCT, Nyesom Wike,” and “sustained by the deliberate complicity of the National Assembly and segments of the ruling class.”

He warned that Nigeria’s economic liberalization is meaningless without political openness. “Liberalization of the economy without political pluralism is an illusion,” Audu said. “The heartbeat of a free market lies in the contestation of ideas, the exchange of diverse ideologies, and the protection of dissenting voices.”

The group argued that the silencing of opposition not only undermines democracy but also weakens the country’s moral and spiritual foundations. “When the political space shrinks, the economic space contracts with it. The implication is profound: not only do we lose jobs, we lose innovation, morale, and the soul of democratic governance.”

Audu described the situation as more than a political crisis, warning of deeper national consequences. “A monopolized political order breeds monopolistic economic tendencies,” he said. “And a silenced opposition cripples the moral and spiritual fabric of a nation.”

The group insisted that the democratic framework “is not merely about ballots,” but also about “wealth redistribution, inclusive governance, and spiritual accountability.” According to the statement, the so-called Tinubu-Wike axis “threatens to upend this balance,” and its “apparent mission to decimate opposition and suppress civic dissent” amounts to “a regression into authoritarian rule.”

Calling on Nigerians to act, the African Renaissance Movement urged civil society groups, the judiciary, religious and traditional leaders, the media, and all citizens to “rise within the bounds of the law and defend the nation’s democracy from spiritual erosion and constitutional collapse.”

“This is not just a political issue,” Audu concluded. “It is a moral reckoning.”