Security expert and peace advocate, Otunba Adejare Rewane Adegbenro, has cautioned politicians and commentators against what he described as “pull-down syndrome” in their remarks about President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and his administration.
Adegbenro gave the warning while speaking on an interview programme aired on ITV in Abuja.
Reacting to a recent remark credited to Lauretta Onochie that the president is running Nigeria like a WhatsApp group, the security expert expressed disappointment, urging members of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to refrain from divisive utterances.
“The party is APC, the president is APC. Irrespective of whether you are for Buhari or Tinubu, you shouldn’t say such a loose and callous statement to whip sentiment. Many of them are only looking for ways to get back into government,” he said.
Adegbenro stressed that President Tinubu deserves the space to govern without distractions, noting that personal dislike should not translate into attempts to derail governance. “It hurts me that a lot of people do not know Asiwaju. If you know him, you would know he’s never distracted. It’s his turn, let him lead in peace and stop stoking enmity. You don’t have to like the president. If you don’t want him, then go contest against him in 2027 instead of this pull-down syndrome,” he declared.
He argued that the president inherited a battered economy and has since taken bold measures to restore stability. “The president met a decayed economy. No one else would have taken the audacious steps he has taken to get the economy back on track. There’s no way anybody could have fixed that level of decay in just two years. Tinubu means well, but for Nigeria to move forward, we all need to be involved,” he said.
Adegbenro also dismissed persistent attacks from opposition figures and social commentators as unhelpful, urging them to contribute constructively to nation-building rather than remain “armchair critics.”
On the delay in ambassadorial appointments, he explained that the decision was strategic. “Appointing ambassadors is not cheap. The president is prioritising poverty eradication, which is why interventions at states and local government levels have increased significantly. Scrutiny is ongoing and at the right time, ambassadors will be appointed,” he explained.
Commenting on reports of opposition parties forming a coalition, Adegbenro maintained that a strong opposition is part of democracy. “Opposition is good for democracy. Let them run,” he said.
