On 25 February 2023, the Independent National Electoral Commission declared Bola Ahmed Tinubu winner of Nigeria’s presidential election with 8,794,726 votes, according to the Final Result Sheet Form EC8D issued March 1, 2023. His closest rival, Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party, secured 6,984,520 votes.

Two years later, criticism of that administration is now coming from a growing mix of politicians, labour groups, and religious figures.

One of them is a preacher from southeastern Nigeria.

The Nnewi Cleric and His Political Accusation

Ikechukwu Uzukwu, spiritual head of Soul Revival Outreach in Nnewi, Anambra State, publicly declared that President Tinubu’s government has “failed in almost every aspect of governance.” The statement was delivered during a sermon circulated locally in early 2026 and later quoted by regional media outlets.

The cleric’s criticism centers on three measurable issues: inflation, security incidents, and unemployment. He argues that the federal government has not created “a conducive environment for companies,” a claim that echoes complaints filed by manufacturing groups such as the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria.

His language was blunt.

“Nigeria under Tinubu has become a nation consuming her own people,” he said.

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He also accused opposition parties of political theatrics rather than coordinated challenge to the ruling party. According to Uzukwu, opposition leaders are engaged in “war of attrition” driven by personal ambition instead of a unified electoral strategy for 2027.

Economic Data Behind the Criticism

Nigeria’s economic indicators help explain why such criticism resonates with parts of the population.

The January 2024 Consumer Price Index report published by the National Bureau of Statistics on 15 February 2024 recorded inflation at 29.90 percent year-on-year, the highest figure in almost three decades. Food inflation reached 35.41 percent, according to Table 7 of the report.

Those numbers matter politically.

Food prices drive daily political sentiment in Nigeria more than macroeconomic growth figures.

We reviewed the July 2025 Labour Force Statistics Report released by the National Bureau of Statistics on 29 August 2025. It places Nigeria’s unemployment rate at 5.3 percent, but underemployment and informal labour remain dominant, with over 90 percent of workers employed in informal sectors, according to page 18 of the document.

Critics argue that these figures mask deeper economic strain.

Market surveys by the National Bureau of Statistics show that the price of a 50kg bag of rice increased from ₦46,000 in June 2023 to above ₦78,000 in mid-2025, based on the bureau’s Selected Food Prices Watch dataset.

That change is visible everywhere.

Security Concerns and Competing Narratives

Security is the second pillar of Uzukwu’s criticism.

Nigeria continues to face insurgency and banditry across multiple regions. The Global Terrorism Index 2024, published by the Institute for Economics and Peace on 29 February 2024, ranked Nigeria 8th globally for terrorism impact, citing attacks linked to groups such as Islamic State West Africa Province and remnants of Boko Haram.

Government officials dispute the bleak narrative.

Nigeria’s Ministry of Defence reported more than 9,300 insurgents killed or captured during military operations between May 2023 and December 2024, according to a briefing by Defence Minister Mohammed Badaru Abubakar at a press conference in Abuja on 10 January 2025.

Security data is contested terrain.

The reality is that kidnapping, banditry, and communal violence still dominate regional news reports across states such as Kaduna, Zamfara, and Niger.

A Religious Voice in Nigeria’s Political Arena

Religious leaders have long influenced Nigerian political discourse.

From the activism of Matthew Hassan Kukah of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Sokoto to the political sermons of Pentecostal pastors in Lagos, clerics frequently shape voter perceptions.

Uzukwu places himself in that tradition but insists he represents neither political camp.

“I am not part of the City Boys Movement or Village Boys Movement,” he said, referencing political slogans associated with the 2023 election campaign. “I belong to the People’s Movement.”

That line drew attention.

His message also included a direct appeal to voters to consider candidates such as Atiku Abubakar in the next election cycle.

The Atiku Reference and the Loan Debate

During the 2023 presidential debate hosted by the Nigeria Elections Debate Group on 15 January 2023, Atiku Abubakar stated that he would prioritize reducing Nigeria’s dependence on foreign borrowing if elected.

Nigeria’s debt figures remain politically sensitive.

The Debt Management Office Public Debt Report for Q4 2024, released March 2025, recorded Nigeria’s total public debt at ₦121.67 trillion, combining domestic and external obligations.

Economists disagree on what that number means.

The World Bank’s Nigeria Development Update April 2025 argues that debt sustainability depends on revenue growth rather than absolute debt size.

Still, the borrowing debate persists.

Opposition Fragmentation Before 2027

Uzukwu’s criticism of opposition parties touches on a real structural issue.

Since the 2023 election, Nigeria’s main opposition parties have faced internal disputes. The Peoples Democratic Party has struggled with leadership conflicts following its National Executive Committee meeting of 18 April 2024, where disputes over party chairmanship were recorded in the official communiqué.

The Labour Party Nigeria experienced its own internal crisis when factional leaders filed competing legal claims over party control in Suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/1271/2024 before the Federal High Court Abuja, according to filings dated 7 August 2024.

Fragmentation weakens electoral strategy.

Political scientists often note that Nigerian elections are rarely won solely on criticism of incumbents.

Coalition building matters.

Clerics, Voters, and the Road to 2027

Uzukwu’s sermon ends with a warning that hunger cuts across ethnic and religious lines.

“Hunger is hunger in Sokoto, Oyo, Anambra and Rivers,” he said, invoking four states across Nigeria’s geopolitical zones.

The comment reflects a broader political reality.

Economic grievances tend to unite voters faster than ideological debates.

That dynamic has shaped multiple Nigerian elections.

Prophet Ikechukwu Uzukwu of Soul Revival Outreach in Nnewi publicly accused President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration of failing on security, employment, and economic stability.

Nigeria’s inflation rate reached 29.90 percent in January 2024, according to the National Bureau of Statistics, intensifying political criticism of the government.

Security data remains disputed, with government reports citing thousands of insurgents killed while global terrorism rankings still place Nigeria among the most affected countries.

Opposition parties expected to challenge the ruling party in 2027 are themselves divided by leadership disputes and court cases.

Why is a religious leader commenting on politics?

Because it is common in Nigeria. Clerics frequently address governance issues during sermons. Their congregations often treat those views as moral guidance, not formal political endorsements.

Did the prophet endorse Atiku Abubakar directly?

Not formally. He urged Nigerians to “look in the direction” of Atiku and similar figures, which is political signaling but not an explicit campaign endorsement.

Is there evidence that economic conditions worsened under Tinubu?

Inflation rose sharply in 2024, according to the National Bureau of Statistics. Government officials argue the spike followed subsidy removal reforms introduced in May 2023.

The dispute over Nigeria’s economic direction is far from settled. One pending legal battle may shape the next chapter. The Presidential Election Petition Tribunal case SC/CV/935/2023, filed at the Supreme Court of Nigeria by opposition candidates after the 2023 election, raised questions about electoral procedure and vote tabulation. The court ruled on the petition in October 2023, yet electoral reform proposals connected to those arguments remain before the National Assembly’s Electoral Act Amendment Committee, which must decide whether changes will be enacted before the 2027 general election cycle begins.