Politics
Consider Hardship Under Buhari, Group Tells Tinubu Promoters
Coalition of South East Youth Leaders, COSEYL, has advised promoters of the presidential candidature of the candidate of the All Progressive Congress, APC, to remember the current economic hardship Nigerians are passing through under the watch of President Muhammadu Buhari promoted and sold to Nigeria by Tinubu.
COSEYL in a statement jointly signed by its President General, Hon. Goodluck Ibem and Publicity Secretary, Comrade Okey Nwaoru, argued that Tinubu’s administation would not be different from Buhari’s whom he had severally boasted of bringing to power.
The group further alleged that Tinubu’s age may not enable him effectively tackle the challenges of the office of the President.
The statement made available to The Tide source read in part: “We advise groups and persons promoting the presidential ambition of Senator Ahmed Bola Tinubu to retrace their steps in the interest of Nigeria.
“On June 3, 2022:Tinubu while on a visit in Ogun State, openly boasted that he made Gen Muhammadu Buhari President in 2015 after several futile attempts.
“But, driven by his own personal political ambition, Tinubu persuaded Buhari to try again and then made him President in 2015 and brought the disaster the country is grappling with at the present.
“The implication of his statement is that the hardships Nigerians are facing today were brought upon us by none other than Senator Ahmed Bola Tinubu.
“So Tinubu owes Nigerians a sincere apology for bringing a disastrous plague upon the nation. His presidential ambition has increased the fears of Nigeria’s suffering masses, especially the youth population.”
The group lamented that under the watch of the man packaged and promoted by Tinubu, Nigeria’s economy which was among the leading economies in Africa in 2015, had nosedived almost irredeemably.
“In 2015, a dollar was exchanged for N160 naira. A litre of fuel was sold for N65, a litre of kerosene was sold for N50, diesel was sold for N50 a kilogram of cooking gas was sold for N100 a kilo but today, a litre of kerosene is sold for N900, a litre of diesel for N1000, a kilo of cooking gas for N1000.
“Everything in the market used by Nigerians has increased by over 1000 per cent to what it used to be and the same person who brought this misery on Nigerians wants to be President?”
COSEYL vowed to mobilise Nigerian youths against the ambition of any presidential candidate that would be a continuation of the “current misery”.
“We the youths will not allow affliction the second time upon us. Never! We have made our mistakes in 2015 but we are wiser now.
“Youths cannot be deceived again with the usual monetary inducement; it is the time of the youth to take back our nation.
“We call on any organization, groups or persons promoting the presidential ambition of Senator Tinubu to come back to their senses and engage in meaningful endeavours instead of marketing a very bad product.”
During a press conference held in Owerri, the coalition called the campaign a “dangerous and shameful display” designed to distract the public from the governor’s performance in office.
The CSOs directly linked the Greater Imo Initiative (GII) —the group that made the allegations on September 4, 2025—to Governor Uzodimma, describing the group as his “mouthpiece and attack dog.”
“Every word spoken against INEC was spoken on his behalf.
“By falsely alleging that Professor Yakubu has an alliance with Dr. Amadi to compromise the 2027 elections, Uzodimma has not only maligned a man of proven integrity but also assaulted the very foundation of our democracy”, said Dr Agbo Frederick, speaking for the coalition.
The coalition described Professor Yakubu as a “beacon of electoral professionalism” and called the attempt to soil his reputation “defamatory and a national security risk.”
They also defended Dr. Amadi, a “respected development scholar,” stating that the governor’s accusations were “laughable, desperate, and dangerous.”
The CSOs see the motive behind the campaign as an attempt to “silence the dissent, intimidate the opposition, and divert attention from the governor’s abysmal record in office.”
The coalition issued four key demands to Governor Uzodimma: An immediate retraction of the false and defamatory allegations against Professor Mahmood Yakubu and Dr. Chima Amadi.
- A public apology to both men within seven days, to be published in at least three national newspapers and broadcast on major television networks.
- An end to diversionary tactics and proxy propaganda.
- A renewed focus on governance, including addressing insecurity, unemployment, and poverty in Imo State.
The CSOs warned that failure to comply would force them to “review our position with a view to seeking legal redress from Governor Uzodimma for defamation, false accusation, and reckless endangerment of lives.”
“Governor Uzodimma must be reminded that he did not find himself in the seat of power to chase shadows.
“We call on all Nigerians to reject Uzodimma’s diversionary antics as they are nothing short of desperate plots by a government terrified of accountability”, the statement concluded.
In a statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, the ADC expressed concern that preventing the senator from resuming her legislative duties violates democratic principles and disenfranchises her constituents.
“The suspension, having been imposed by the Senate and not a court of law, has lapsed. Any further attempt to prevent her from resuming is therefore both illegal and morally indefensible,” Mallam Abdullahi said.
The party noted that denying Sen. Akpoti-Uduaghan access to the chamber silences the voice of the people who elected her, adding that the withdrawal of her salary, aides, and office access during the suspension amounted to excessive punishment.
The ADC also criticised the Clerk of the National Assembly for declining to process her resumption on grounds that the matter was before the courts, arguing that the Clerk’s role was administrative, not judicial.
“Administrative caution must not translate into complicity. When the administrative machinery becomes hostage to political interests, the institution itself is diminished,” the party stated.
Highlighting that Sen. Akpoti-Uduaghan is one of only four women in the 109-member Senate, the ADC warned that the handling of the case sends a discouraging signal about gender inclusion in Nigerian politics.
“Any action that resembles gender intimidation of the few women in the Senate would only discourage women’s participation. Nigeria cannot claim to be a democracy while excluding half of its population from key decision-making spaces,” Mallam Abdullahi added.
The ADC insisted that Sen. Akpoti-Uduaghan be allowed to resume her seat immediately, stressing that the matter was about more than one individual.
“What is at stake here is not just one Senate seat, but the integrity of our democracy itself,” the party said.