THE MOST insidious form of oppression is when the oppressed express gratitude to their oppressors. The recent waves of defections and endorsements seem orchestrated to deceive, suggesting Nigerians are content with the current government’s performance. But this is truly not the voice of the people, it is a disingenuous ruse.
The real opposition today isn’t in the halls of power, but in the streets, where working-class Nigerians and jobless youth bear the brunt of economic hardship. The 2027 elections will be a defining moment: a battle between Tinubu’s APC and the masses suffering under the weight of ineptitude, corruption, misgovernance, high cost of governance vis-à-vis intolerably high cost of living.
Does APC expect gratitude vote from market women, whom they’ve exploited and manipulated in Lagos for long? The Iyaloja-General of Tinubu feudalistic empire, Mrs. Iyabo Tinubu Ojo, seems poised to lure them into another cycle of political pawnship, echoing the Lagos experience. But will these women, struggling to survive since 2023, really give gratitude vote in 2027? Many can’t feed their families, and their children are dropping out of school. The harsh economic reality has left them devastated.
The true opposition lies with ordinary Nigerians struggling to survive. While governors, commissioners, lawmakers and their aides defect to APC, the people see through the façade. Joining the oppressors only serves their interests, not the masses.
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What gratitude can the masses possibly owe Tinubu’s APC? It’s no surprise – the elite often unite to exploit the system, leaving the masses to suffer. The state is already dead and the vultures are only gathering to feast on the carcass.
Should the masses be grateful and raise their clenched fists in salute to the lacklustre performance of APC, especially the countless lives lost to insecurity in Borno, Zamfara, Kaduna, Plateau, Benue, Nasarawa, Kogi, Kwara and other places? Haven’t we been here before? The Chibok girls’ abduction in 2014 was a turning point that shifted Nigerians’ support to APC. Yet, today, insecurity rages on and is no longer a serious issue. Benue alone has lost 1,041 lives between May 2023 and May 2025. Must we forget so soon? Is this the ‘better’ Nigeria APC promised?
Can the current state of our healthcare system be reason for Nigerians to show gratitude? Our hospitals and medical centres are in shambles, and the cost of treatment is crippling. Malaria, a common ailment, has become a financial nightmare. Healthcare has become a privilege, not a right. And yet, APC expects Nigerians to be grateful? Our hospitals now excel at mortuary services – a grim reflection of our healthcare reality.
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The ongoing ASUU warning strike has shut down public universities, yet the ruling elite remain unfazed. Their children attend top universities abroad, while the masses struggle with underfunded institutions. The disconnect is stark. APC’s handling of education doesn’t warrant gratitude. Underfunding, poor infrastructure, and teacher shortages plague our schools. Inadequate facilities and inconsistent policies perpetuate inequality. The system fails the common man, while the elite secure their children’s futures abroad.
Does APC expect gratitude vote from market women, whom they’ve exploited and manipulated in Lagos for long? The Iyaloja-General of Tinubu feudalistic empire, Mrs. Iyabo Tinubu Ojo, seems poised to lure them into another cycle of political pawnship, echoing the Lagos experience. But will these women, struggling to survive since 2023, really give gratitude vote in 2027? Many can’t feed their families, and their children are dropping out of school. The harsh economic reality has left them devastated.
There are evidences on ground that the oppressed masses will not cast a foolish vote of gratitude to the unworthy and non-performing oppressor call APC. The party that refers to impoverishment and ineptitude as reforms. Let the governors and their aids defect, the masses are not defecting and there is no free vote in 2027. Those who are planning to subvert the people’s will in 2027 should listen to the advice of Alex Otti.
Since the ‘subsidy is gone’ declaration on May 29th, 2023, and the removal of palliatives, the sudden revenue surge has yielded disastrous results. Instead of alleviating suffering and creating jobs, governors are prioritising dynasty-building, leaving the masses to groan in hardship.
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The APC governors with Tinubu are already immune to probe, investigation and criticism, but same cannot be said of other governors. The opposition governors are being forced to decamp to the ruling party if they have to enjoy the privilege in months to come.
APC’s 2027 prospects seem bleak unless fuelled by blackmail, intimidation, and coercion, as witnessed with defecting governors. Corruption has reached unprecedented levels, appearing to be state-sanctioned. With graft perpetrators finding refuge in APC government. Hope for a better future dwindles. The government’s alarming borrowing spree raises questions about accountability and transparency. What’s the guarantee that these funds aren’t lining individual pockets?
There are evidences on ground that the oppressed masses will not cast a foolish vote of gratitude to the unworthy and non-performing oppressor call APC. The party that refers to impoverishment and ineptitude as reforms. Let the governors and their aids defect, the masses are not defecting and there is no free vote in 2027. Those who are planning to subvert the people’s will in 2027 should listen to the advice of Governor Alex Otti – that they should first prepare their will.
