Human rights lawyer, Dele Farotimi, has warned that Nigeria’s current trajectory is headed towards a revolution, which he believes is both “imminent and inevitable.”
According to Farotimi, the ruling class’s “hubristic overreach” has pushed the country to a boiling point.
In a video message shared on X on Tuesday, Farotimi expressed concerns about the 2027 general elections, stating that unless the people of Nigeria align themselves, President Bola Tinubu will likely win the election.
“A Tinubu will not lose an election,” he said, adding that politicians like Atiku Abubakar are under illusions if they think they can contest against him.
Farotimi noted that Tinubu’s strategy involves buying the support of influential figures, including governors’ godfathers, rather than the governors themselves.
“He is buying their godfathers, those who kept them there, and the ones he can’t buy, he is intimidating into aligning,” he said.
The lawyer expressed pessimism about the judiciary’s ability to act independently, citing the current state of the constitution and the judiciary’s compromised state.
“If you’re waiting for an election to save Nigeria, you have lost already,” he warned. “The only thing that can save us is a revolution.”
Farotimi warned that if the current system continues, Nigeria would erupt in a civil war, which is already simmering beneath the surface.
“If you sustain the current system, Nigeria will erupt in a civil war, it’s already in one, the only problem is that the lines are not defined, but if it continues on the current trajectory, Nigeria will implode,” he said.
He said: “Let me throw something in. While other candidates were busy trying to buy delegates, Tinubu was buying godfathers in the APC primaries. He was buying the godfathers of the governors, who are the fathers of the delegates. Those were the persons that Tinubu was buying. Don’t imagine that Tinubu was buying sitting governors; he is not. He is buying their godfathers, those who keep them in power, and the ones he can’t buy, he is intimidating into aligning.
“So, what you are seeing is the alignment of politicians, whether forced or voluntary, whether based on real politics or whatever. A Tinubu will not lose an election while out of office running almost against an incumbent is now in power. There is a difference between being in office and being in power. He is now in power, and Atiku and others thinking they can contest against him are under illusions.
“The people are the ones who need to be aligning. Without an alignment of the people, what we would have is that the election result will be announced ahead of time, and you can be certain that the judiciary will endorse it. Akpabio is certain in the Senate as the Senate President today because the constitution is a scrap, and the judiciary is unfit for purpose.
“That is the only reason he sits there and also for your president, so if you’re waiting for an election to save Nigeria, you have lost already. Let me announce that the only thing that can save us is a revolution. If you sustain the current system, Nigeria will erupt in a civil war. It’s already in one; the only problem is that the lines are not defined. But if it continues on the current trajectory, Nigeria will implode.”
The activist further highlighted the alarming state of Nigeria, accusing the government of complicity in the nation’s descent into chaos. He pointed out that over 400 Bureau de Change operators had been linked to financing terrorist groups, yet none had been arrested.
He described as “hypocrisy” the actions of those who claim to act in the name of religion while engaging in violence and subversion.
“Nigeria is unravelling,” he declared, attributing the crisis not only to state failure but also to the active role of state actors in undermining peace. This statement underscores the gravity of the situation and the need for urgent action to address the root causes of the crisis.
“Over 400 Bureau de Change identified as financing terror groups in Nigeria, no one of them has been arrested. Nigeria is unravelling. It is unravelling because of the complicity and hypocrisy of the Monafiq, who have claimed largely that they are Muslims and they are doing all these evils in the name of God.
“The everyday Nigeria who has refused to get involved, believing that the solution will come when the El Dorado on the street might have happened, let me remind you, even if Nigeria will split, it wouldn’t split peacefully, given its current realities.
“It is achievable in peace if we ever find the grace to act together understanding clearly that what we are dealing with is not just State failure but the complicity of the State in the extermination of peace.”
He also pointed fingers at the general public, particularly what he called the “everyday Nigerian,” for their passive stance in the face of growing insecurity.
According to him, waiting for an elusive solution without civic engagement is a dangerous gamble. He underscored the urgency for national unity and decisive action.
He concluded with a call for collective awakening, stressing that sustainable peace and change can only be achieved through a united front against state-backed injustice and terror.
