The minority caucus of the House of Representatives on Wednesday delivered a scathing assessment of the state of the nation, accusing the government of President Bola Tinubu of failing to tackle worsening insecurity, deepening economic hardship and mounting threats to democratic institutions.
The opposition lawmakers also alleged that the administration was focusing on political calculations ahead of the 2027 general elections rather than addressing the pressing challenges facing Nigerians.
Addressing journalists at the National Assembly Complex in Abuja, Minority Leader of the House, Mr Fred Agbedi, said the country was facing one of its most difficult periods since the return to democratic rule in 1999, citing persistent insecurity, rising poverty and growing public frustration.
“Nigeria is bleeding, Nigeria is confused and Nigeria is being deliberately pushed to the brink by a government that has elevated 2027 electioneering above the lives and welfare of citizens,” Agbedi declared.
He said the caucus convened the press conference “with a heavy heart but with unshaken resolve to speak truth to power,” stressing that remaining silent amid the country’s challenges would amount to complicity.
The opposition lawmakers argued that three years into the Tinubu administration, Nigerians were yet to see significant improvements in security and economic conditions despite repeated assurances from government officials.
A major focus of the briefing was the recent death of retired Maj Gen Rabe Abubakar, who was reportedly abducted alongside his wife in Katsina State before dying in captivity.
The lawmakers described the incident as a tragic reflection of the deteriorating security situation across the country and called for a transparent investigation into the circumstances surrounding his death.
“That a General of the Nigerian Army, who once commanded troops and defended this nation, could be kidnapped alongside his wife and later declared dead under unclear circumstances is a grave indictment of a failed state. It is a national embarrassment,” Agbedi added.
The caucus noted that the killing came amid a wave of attacks by bandits, terrorists and criminal gangs across several parts of the country, including the North-West, North-Central and parts of the South-East.
The lawmakers recalled that security personnel, traditional rulers and ordinary citizens had increasingly become targets of kidnappers and armed groups, despite sustained military operations.
“If a General is not safe within the borders of our nation, then who truly is?” Agbedi asked.
He lamented what he described as the vulnerability of community leaders and traditional rulers who have become frequent targets of criminal elements.
“Our security is in the mud. Yet, the political class is busy rehearsing new political dance steps, seemingly unbothered,” he added.
The caucus urged Tinubu, as Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, to immediately present a comprehensive security strategy capable of addressing the multifaceted threats confronting the country.
“At a period in our nation’s long-drawn battle with these insurgents, victory was close by, especially with the presence of mercenaries in the frontlines. Today, no one is sure what the strategy, if any, is,” Agbedi stated.
They also demanded improved welfare for security personnel, enhanced intelligence gathering and a complete overhaul of the nation’s security architecture.
The lawmakers expressed concern over the continued captivity of schoolchildren and teachers abducted in Oyo state, describing the development as another example of the state’s inability to guarantee the safety of its citizens.
“As we speak, school children and their teachers abducted in Oyo State remain in captivity. Their crime? Going to school in Nigeria,” Agbedi said.
The caucus called for an immediate and coordinated rescue operation by security agencies, warning that prolonged captivity could expose the victims to grave dangers.
The incident, they argued, evoked painful memories of previous mass abductions of students across the country, which have continued to raise concerns about the safety of schools despite government efforts under the Safe Schools Initiative.
The minority caucus also raised concerns over what it described as troubling developments within the judiciary, particularly a Federal High Court judgment ordering the Independent National Electoral Commission to deregister five opposition political parties.
According to Agbedi, the ruling raises serious questions about the health of Nigeria’s democracy and could undermine political pluralism ahead of future elections.
“This judgment, coming only months to the country’s general elections and after a subsisting Appeal Court decision on the same matter, is not intended to serve justice. Instead, it appears to be a deliberate ploy to engender judicial chaos weaponised to destabilise the polity,” he said.
The Bayelsa lawmaker described the judgment as “rascality taken too far,” arguing that it set a dangerous precedent capable of weakening democratic participation and shrinking political space.
He questioned why submissions reportedly made by INEC, indicating that the affected parties had satisfied legal requirements through electoral victories in previous elections, were allegedly disregarded.
The caucus further alleged that opposition parties have increasingly faced institutional barriers, including delays in the registration of new political parties and attempts to frustrate emerging political coalitions.
“From external manipulations and executive meddlesomeness that kept old political structures polarised, to the attempt to truncate new alliances through institutional bottlenecks, such as the refusal to register new political parties, the whole goal has been to muscle all credible opposition out of the 2027 contest,” Agbedi alleged.
While welcoming the intervention of the Court of Appeal in halting implementation of the Federal High Court judgment, the lawmakers urged democratic stakeholders to remain vigilant.
Turning to the economy, the caucus painted a bleak picture of conditions facing Nigerians, citing inflation, high food prices, a weakening purchasing power and widespread hardship.
The lawmakers argued that the removal of fuel subsidy and the floating of the naira, key reforms introduced by the Tinubu administration, had imposed severe burdens on citizens without corresponding social protections.
“From Sokoto to Enugu, from Borno to Lagos, the story is the same: hunger, killings, kidnappings, collapse of the naira, collapse of hope,” Agbedi added.
The opposition lawmakers accused the ruling All Progressives Congress and the presidency of prioritising political activities over governance.
“Yet what preoccupies the ruling party and the Presidency is 2027 endorsement rallies, defections, re-election strategies and Town hall meetings to discuss tenure security,” he said.
They challenged President Tinubu to temporarily suspend political activities linked to the next election cycle and focus squarely on addressing the nation’s pressing challenges.
“President Tinubu must suspend all 2027 political activities and declare a six-month National Security and Economic Recovery Plan,” urging him to “Lead or leave.”
As part of its recommendations, the caucus called for “An independent and transparent investigation into the abduction and death of Maj Gen Abubakar, immediate efforts to secure the release of the abducted Oyo schoolchildren and urgent reforms within the security sector.”
The lawmakers also urged the Chief Justice of Nigeria to intervene in controversies arising from conflicting court judgments relating to political parties, while calling on INEC to protect democratic competition ahead of the 2027 elections.
Agbedi further warned against what he described as attempts to weaken opposition voices through judicial and institutional means.
“The attempt to kill opposition parties through judicial ambush, to ignore mass killings while chasing second term, and to normalise the abduction of children is a declaration of war against Nigerians,” he said.
He vowed that opposition lawmakers would continue to hold the government accountable through constitutional and legislative means.
“We will not be silent. We will not be intimidated. We will use every legislative instrument to hold this government accountable,” he stated.
Addressing Nigerians directly, Agbedi urged citizens not to lose faith in democracy despite the country’s present challenges.
He stated, “To Nigerians, do not despair. 2027 will not be decided in Aso Rock or by compromised courts. It will be decided by you, the people.
“The opposition parties will stand with you. The opposition will not be muscled out. Nigeria will be rescued.”
The briefing was attended by the House Minority Whip, Mansur Soro; Deputy Minority Leader, Abdussamad Dasuki and leader of the Nigeria Democratic Congress caucus in the House, Mr Afam Ogene.
