General Secretary of the National Democratic Coalition (NADECO), Chief Ayo Opadokun, has said President Bola Tinubu cannot be expected to correct Nigeria’s deep-rooted problems within three years, insisting that the country’s challenges are the product of decades of misgovernance.
Opadokun spoke on Thursday at the launch of his book, The Gun Hegemony, held at the MUSON Centre, Onikan, Lagos.
According to him, Nigeria has been misgoverned for about 57 of its 65 years of independence, largely due to prolonged military rule and its enduring influence on civilian administrations.
“The military governed directly for 29 years and indirectly for another 16 years through former military rulers who later became civilian presidents. That makes about 44 years already,” Opadokun said.
He explained that when the years of civilian governments led by Shehu Shagari, Umaru Yar’Adua and Goodluck Jonathan are added, Nigeria has effectively been under the same political tendency for about 57 years.
“When people rule for such a long time, they become entrenched in all institutions. Their loyalists and sympathisers remain in charge,” he said.
Opadokun argued that blaming President Tinubu for Nigeria’s current difficulties ignores the country’s political history and the long shadow of military domination.
“Some people, either deliberately or feigning ignorance, blame Bola Tinubu for everything in the world,” he said.
Defending Tinubu’s economic reforms, Opadokun described the administration’s tax policies as steps toward fiscal federalism and correcting long-standing injustices in the tax system.
“Only public servants who earn little money pay tax in Nigeria, while those who make the most money evade it. He has tried to right that wrong, and some people don’t like it,” he stated.
On security, Opadokun acknowledged the worsening situation but said it must be viewed within both local and international contexts, particularly developments in the Sahel region.
“This country has been misgoverned for too long. It will not take three years for it to be righted,” he added.
The Afenifere leader also revisited the January 15, 1966 coup, questioning the actions of the late Gen. Johnson Aguiyi-Ironsi, including the delay in prosecuting coup plotters and the promulgation of Decree 34 of 1966.
He maintained that the dominance of the “gun” in Nigeria’s political history has stunted national growth and continues to shape governance.
“If the army did not intervene in Nigeria’s affairs, the story of Nigeria would not be what it is today,” Opadokun said.
The event was attended by President Tinubu, represented by his Chief of Staff, Femi Gbajabiamila; Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, represented by the Attorney-General, Mr Lawal Pedro; former Commonwealth Secretary-General, Chief Emeka Anyaoku; and Vanguard Publisher, Chief Sam Amuka-Pemu, among other dignitaries.
In his remarks, Tinubu praised Opadokun’s patriotism and commitment to democracy, noting that The Gun Hegemony would help Nigerians better understand their history and guide future decision-making.
Anyaoku traced Nigeria’s present challenges to military intervention, noting that the regions were developing progressively before the first coup. He renewed calls for a truly federal, people-driven constitution, arguing that Nigeria’s plural nature makes federalism inevitable.
Echoing similar views, Amuka said the legacy of military rule continues to shape Nigeria’s political and economic life, stressing the need for a new constitution and a return to true federalism.
