By Nnaoke Ufere, PhD
Read: *African Mind Journal*
*_www.africanmind.org_*
No institution has been able to rein in Bola Ahmed Tinubu. He has evaded accountability at every turn with deliberate indifference. Like Teflon, nothing sticks to him. Not yet.
Each time he crossed a line, the system didn’t push back, it adjusted. The boundaries of legality, ethics, and public decency were redrawn to accommodate him. Every time an institution had the power to stop him, it chose instead to serve him. What should have been checks on his power became enablers of impunity.
I have painstakingly documented the *26 most egregious examples of this pattern*. Clear, disturbing instances where Tinubu got away with breaking the law, ignoring it, or twisting it to his advantage, and where those meant to hold him accountable chose silence, complicity, or active collaboration. Together, they form a portrait not just of a man, but of a captured state that bends for power, not principle.
Given this pattern, there is little surprise in Tinubu’s behavior; he is acting exactly as expected. What’s more troubling is the response of many Nigerians, their willingness to excuse, ignore, or rationalize his behavior and record. Rather than demand accountability, they cling to the illusion that change will somehow arrive through hope alone, without resistance, accountability, or demand for justice.
This collective disillusionment has come at a steep cost. Nigerians, bruised, broken, and betrayed, have withdrawn, not out of approval but because they have been conditioned to believe that nothing will ever change. Tinubu has not merely survived scrutiny; he has neutralized it. He has not only ruled; he has rewritten the rules. And in the Nigeria he governs, impunity has become the only law that still functions.
As the nation edges closer to 2027, a more urgent question comes into view: will Nigerians finally see him for who he truly is and understand the scale of the damage his leadership has already inflicted? Will those who have endured the consequences of his reckless, self-serving policies find the courage to hold him accountable? Or will silence and resignation once again prevail?
The urgency of these questions is underscored by the past two years of his presidency, years marked by the rise of ethnocracy, where key positions in government are dominated by his ethnic kin, creating resentment and division. Layered on top are staggering levels of incompetence, frequent policy failures, entrenched corruption, widespread insecurity, creeping authoritarianism, growing hunger, and a collapse of public trust. These trends are not isolated missteps; they are dangerous patterns that, if left unchecked, could plunge the country further into deeper instability.
And the list of what he has gotten away with only keeps growing. Character flaws that would disqualify any serious contender in a country where integrity still counts. Scandals that would end political careers in any functioning democracy. Alleged crimes and election fraud that should provoke outrage and global condemnation. Policy fiascos that have deepened insecurity and despair. Abuses of power so blatant they no longer shock anyone. We will return to these in greater detail.
Despite all this, Tinubu grows more brazen by the day. As opportunistic politicians defect to his side, he becomes further emboldened, exposing just how corroded Nigeria’s political culture has become. Only in Nigeria could a man with his record of misrule, unexplained wealth, systemic abuse, and unresolved controversies not only become president but now, without irony, prepare to ask for another four years in 2027.
The consequences of elevating a shadowy, unaccountable figure to the presidency again are now impossible to ignore. Two years in, the naira has collapsed, inflation has soared, and poverty has worsened. According to health and humanitarian reports, more Nigerians are dying from hunger and disease than during Buhari’s tenure. The fuel subsidy was removed without any relief measures, plunging millions into further hardship. Insecurity continues to spread. Billions in borrowed funds have failed to revive the economy, leaving the country drowning in debt with nothing to show for it.
And yet, Tinubu remains untouched, shielded by loyalists, protected by money, and insulated by a system that rewards failure. His presidency has dragged the standard of leadership to unprecedented lows.
Now, even as the nation struggles under the weight of his reckless decisions, Tinubu’s well-oiled propaganda machine is ramping up. With 2027 on the horizon, efforts are underway to repackage him, not as the man who rose to power cloaked in secrecy and scandal, but as “the most courageous and visionary president,” in the words of Bayo Onanuga. Nigerians are now being asked to forget the past, overlook the present, and embrace a manufactured future built on spin, denial, and deception.
This makes it more urgent than ever to remind Nigerians who Tinubu truly is, before fiction replaces fact and the whitewash becomes the official story. The so-called “new Tinubu” being paraded by his loyalists and propaganda media is nothing more than the old Tinubu on steroids. He is more brazen, more insulated, and more dangerous in his pursuit of power and privilege.
What worries me most, and should worry you as well, is that despite all the harm Tinubu continues to inflict, he still plans to run in 2027 and genuinely believes he can win, reinforcing the perception that the Nigerian system exists solely to protect him.
We must never forget who this man is.
*Here’s a list of Tinubu’s many outrages. None have stopped his rise—not yet:*
1. *No verified identity*. His real name, age, birthplace, and academic history remain unconfirmed. In a country where ordinary citizens must show proof of authentic credentials to get a job, he rose to the presidency with no verifiable background. Over eight million still voted for him. It didn’t matter.
2. *Drug-linked forfeiture*. In the U.S., he forfeited $460,000 to the government from a narcotics-linked case. Though named as an unindicted co-conspirator, he walked free. It didn’t matter.
3. *Dubious wealth claims*. He said he earned $1.8 million at Deloitte & Touche. Deloitte denied it. No investigation followed. It didn’t matter.
4. *Alpha Beta scandal*. A whistleblower accused him of secretly controlling the firm to launder money and avoid taxes. The case stalled in court. It didn’t matter.
5. *London properties*. He was linked to at least 20 UK properties, bought under opaque offshore structures while governor. No agency acted. It didn’t matter.
6. *Looted Lagos*. As governor, he allegedly built a personal empire with state funds and entrenched a patronage network that still bleeds Lagos. No one stopped it. It didn’t matter.
7. *Corruption cases vanished*. From land grabs to shell companies, investigations into his dark dealings went nowhere. EFCC folded. It didn’t matter.
8. *2023 election rigging allegations*. Reports cited ballot destruction, voter intimidation, vote inflation, and count manipulation. Yet INEC, the Tribunal, and the Supreme Court upheld the result. It didn’t matter.
9. *Economic sabotage*. In his first week, he recklessly removed subsidies and floated the currency without preparation or safety nets. Inflation exploded. Hunger deepened. Untimely deaths skyrocketed. No pushback. It didn’t matter.
10. *Reckless borrowing*. He took massive loans, spent like a gambler without transparency, and left the country drowning in generational debt. No audits, no results. It didn’t matter.
11. *Economic collapse*. He crashed the economy. Businesses folded, jobs disappeared, poverty surged, and insecurity spread. Hope evaporated. The system stayed quiet. It didn’t matter.
12. *Sold lies as hope*. “Renewed Hope” turned into worsening deprivation and rising deaths of despair. The slogan masked failure. No action followed. It didn’t matter.
13. *Electricity crisis*. He promised 24/7 power. The grid collapses weekly. Darkness envelops the nation. But bills soared. Services fell. No solution. It didn’t matter.
14. *Healthcare hypocrisy*. He flies abroad for care while Nigerians die in broken hospitals without doctors, nurses and equipment. In 2023, 75,000 women died in childbirth—one every seven minutes, according to the UN. It didn’t matter.
15. *Oil ministry control*. As petroleum minister, he allegedly struck shady deals and enabled profiteering. Where are the billions saved from subsidy removal? Even the World Bank wants answers. He ignored it. It didn’t matter.
16. *Bloated cabinet*. He appointed loyalists and recycled failures, many with questionable records. Competence was ignored. It didn’t matter.
17. *Institutional bribery*. He showered lawmakers and judges with SUVs and unearned perks. Patronage was repackaged as policy. No outrage. It didn’t matter.
18. *Hunger as PR.* While millions went hungry, his government staged food basket photo ops. Palliative was too little, too late. Theatrics replaced real policy. The crisis worsened. It didn’t matter.
19. *Divisive politics*. He used religion and ethnicity to distract and divide, shifting blame from failures to identity. The tactic worked. It didn’t matter.
20. *Resurrected disgraced politicians*. He rewarded controversial figures with questionable records, offering them political cover and key positions in exchange for their defection and loyalty. Reform was sidelined. It didn’t matter.
21. *Naira destruction*. He devalued the currency without strategic planning and safety net. Life savings vanished. Only foreign interests gained. No one was held responsible. It didn’t matter.
22. *Runaway inflation*. Under his watch, and as a direct result of his policy failures, the cost of living soared. Food, fuel, and rent became out of reach for millions. The government provided no relief. It didn’t matter.
23. *Luxury in crisis*. While citizens starved, he flew in private jets and stayed in five-star hotels. Enjoyed elaborate banquets. No empathy. No restraint. No consequence. It didn’t matter.
24. *Press evasion*. He avoids hard questions and shuts out critical media to escape scrutiny and control the narrative. No accountability. No explanation. Just silence. It didn’t matter.
25. *Power grabs via emergencies*. He declared dubious emergencies to interfere in state governance. Rivers State is the latest battleground. It is likely Abia and Anambra may follow. The courts stayed quiet. It didn’t matter.
26. *Repression of protest*. During the #10DaysOfRage, security forces killed at least 24 peaceful protesters, according to Amnesty. Many were jailed or disappeared. Some were teenagers. No justice. No reckoning. It didn’t matter.
*Only the People Can Stop Tinubu and the APC’s Grip on Power*
As you now know, for years, Tinubu has operated beyond scrutiny, insulated from consequence. A Teflon boss, someone to whom no scandal, accusation, or failure ever seems to stick, he has defied criminal investigations and political gravity at every turn.
The APC-controlled National Assembly is complicit, having betrayed its oath of office and surrendered its constitutional responsibilities. The Supreme Court is equally complicit, having handed Tinubu a blank check through its rulings, effectively telling him he is above the law. He has acted accordingly, without restraint. And the mainstream media? Complicit through its silence, its failure to hold power to account, and its willingness to look the other way.
When the legislature folds, the judiciary enables evil, and the press retreats, what remains?
The people. We, the citizens, are the last line of defense. Only we can put an end to this descent. Only we can revoke Tinubu’s mandate (if he had any), dismantle the compromised National Assembly, and hold a corrupt judiciary to account. The rescue of our nation will not come from above or from outside. It will come from us.
We must never forget who this man truly is. That is why we must keep shining a clear, unwavering light on the darker truths of Tinubu’s past and present—from now until 2027. As widely reported, his rise was not built on transparency, integrity, or service, but on manipulation, impunity, and silence. And if we allow that silence to continue, we become complicit.
It is up to every one of us to listen, to question, and to act. The warning signs are everywhere. The consequences are already here. As we say in my village, “*_Ukpara okpoko gburu nti chiri ya_*”—“The grasshopper that is killed by a crow was deaf to the warnings.” Let us not be that grasshopper.
