Nigerian journalist and Arise News co-host Oseni Rufai has criticised the Bola Tinubu administration over its inability to evacuate former President Goodluck Jonathan during the Guinea-Bissau coup, accusing officials of hypocrisy for branding citizens as “demarketers” while failing in a moment of crisis.
Rufai, posting on his official X account on Friday, questioned the government’s competence and wrote, “After, they will say we are demarketing Nigeria. A federal government that couldn’t rescue President Jonathan – is that not demarketing Nigeria? Thank you, Ivory Coast. Nigeria is the giant of Africa.”
His post quickly went viral, drawing thousands of reactions, reposts and sharp comments from Nigerians frustrated by what they describe as worsening state capacity under Tinubu.
The outrage followed Jonathan’s evacuation from Guinea-Bissau on Wednesday after soldiers seized power, detained the president and shut down borders during an intense outbreak of gunfire in the capital, Bissau.
Jonathan had travelled to the country as the ECOWAS Special Envoy and was trapped alongside other regional representatives when the military takeover began.
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He was eventually flown out through an Ivorian presidential aircraft to Abidjan before returning to Abuja later that night.
The Nigerian Ministry of Foreign Affairs said it arranged a “special flight” in coordination with ECOWAS, although the evacuation was ultimately carried out by the Ivory Coast.
Jonathan later explained that landing clearances and security concerns made the Ivorian option faster and less risky during the unfolding coup.
His remarks have fuelled criticism that Nigeria, despite its claim of regional leadership, was sidelined during a security emergency involving one of its former presidents.
Social media users reacting to Rufai’s post accused the government of lacking seriousness, with many suggesting that international partners no longer view Nigeria as dependable.
Analysts say the incident has intensified public debate about Nigeria’s diminishing regional influence and the contrast between Tinubu’s rhetoric and the state’s ability to act decisively.
The backlash also highlights growing dissatisfaction among citizens who feel that official accusations of “demarketing Nigeria” are often used to silence legitimate criticism rather than address failures.
Supporters of Peter Obi, who often describe him as a model of responsible leadership, joined the conversation by contrasting his approach with what they called the government’s “habit of excuses”.
The Tinubu administration has not responded to the reactions trailing the evacuation or Rufai’s viral remarks.
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