Ex-SGF Lawal Slams Tinubu Admin Over Cost of Living, Insecurity

From the perspective of The Punch, a prominent Nigerian news outlet, former SGF Babachir Lawal's recent statements on Channels Television highlight a deep-seated discontent with the current administration's handling of critical national issues. Lawal, a significant figure within the opposition African Democratic Congress, did not mince words in his assessment of President Bola Tinubu's leadership, suggesting the president is "rattled" and needs to be "rescued from himself."

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Now, ADC means we need to rescue Nigeria because Nigeria is in dire stress. Nigeria is facing insecurity of unimaginable proportions. I know a government that is careless about it. Nigerians are facing an economic crisis of unimaginable proportions. It is difficult now to feed and to pay school fees. It is difficult to go to work, to the extent that civil servants or workers generally do shifts because you cannot fuel your car from Nyanya to Abuja and back and still have something left in your salary to pay rent, to eat, to pay medical bills, to pay school fees for your children, לד more of clothing yourselves.

His critique focuses on two major pillars of public concern: the unbearable cost of living and the pervasive insecurity plaguing the nation. Lawal paints a grim picture of daily life for ordinary Nigerians, describing a reality where feeding, paying school fees, and even commuting to work have become monumental challenges. The comparison of workers resorting to shifts due to fuel costs underscores the severity of the economic crisis. He emphasizes that Nigerians are living in constant fear, facing threats from bandits, Boko Haram, insurgents, and kidnappers, painting a stark picture of a nation under siege.

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So the position we find ourselves in Nigeria is that we are all in danger. In danger. In danger of losing our lives to all manner of insecurity, to all sorts of people. Others call them bandits. Others call them Boko Haram. Others call them insurgents. Whatever you call them, there is one knocking behind your door to harm you. Kidnappers are there, apart from the normal armed robbery that we are used to. So Nigeria, every Nigerian is in danger of losing his life, of starving to death, of being unable to live the life that we are expected to live under a good Nigerian government.

Lawal's commentary also touches upon the political landscape, linking the president's perceived anxieties to the upcoming 2027 general elections. His assertion that the ADC is committed to "rescuing Nigeria" positions the party as a viable alternative to the ruling All Progressives Congress, which he blames for the current hardships. The former SGF's strong language, including calling the government "careless" and Nigerians "hostage" to power-hungry individuals, reflects a potent opposition voice eager to capitalize on public dissatisfaction. This narrative resonates with a segment of the Nigerian populace feeling the brunt of economic downturn and insecurity, offering a critical lens through which to view the government's performance.

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We are under hostage. We are held hostage by people who are more interested in power and wealth than in the safety, security, and well-being of our people. So we need to rescue all of us. I believe even President Tinubu himself needs to be rescued from himself.