“Tinubu must realize that the brand of democracy that he and his party men are purportedly presiding over has brought nothing but pain, misery, and agony to millions of Nigeria.”
Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour, the 2023 Labour Party gubernatorial candidate, has openly criticized Chief Bola Ahmed Tinubu regarding his Democracy Day speech.
In a post on his official X handle, Rhodes-Vivour questioned Tinubu’s democratic credentials, particularly in light of election-related violence and voter suppression in the 2023 general election.
Rhodes-Vivour highlighted a discrepancy between Tinubu’s words and actions. He quoted Tinubu’s speech, where the president asserted that democracy demands the resolution of differences without force and repression, and the acceptance of differing views.
Despite these statements, Rhodes-Vivour pointed to what he described as attacks on the free press, comparing the current situation to a military dictatorship, with journalists being abducted and tortured with impunity.
Rhodes-Vivour articulated, “Tinubu in his Democracy day speech, stated that “what democracy demands is that we do not resolve differences through force and repression and we should make allowance for legitimacy of views that differ from us.”
“Yet, the attack on Free Press is now reminiscent of military dictatorship. Journalists are abducted and tortured with reckless impunity.
“Or will the President describe the violence, voter suppression, and intimidation that brought him into office as democratic? Surely, the president must realize that the brand of democracy that he and his party men are purportedly presiding over has brought nothing but pain, misery, and agony to millions of Nigeria.
“Those who paid the ultimate price for democracy will be turning in their graves, giving the current state of our affairs as a nation,” he added.
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