Oritsejafor Revisits Jonathan Era, Urges Tinubu to Rethink Second Term Ambition

(Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor. Photo by Premuim Times)

Former President of the Christian Association of Nigeria, Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor, has said many of those who labelled former President Goodluck Jonathan “clueless” during his administration are now the ones occupying positions of power in Nigeria.

Oritsejafor made the remarks during a television appearance on Monday while responding to criticisms of Jonathan’s tenure, particularly allegations that insecurity and corruption thrived under his watch.

He argued that many of those who sponsored and supported protests against Jonathan across the country, particularly in Lagos, are today among those governing Nigeria.

“Now, the people who sponsored all those protests, who did a lot of all those things, many of them are the people in power today.

So, now they have the clue, but look at where Nigeria is now,” he said.

Asked whether he regretted supporting Jonathan during the 2015 presidential election, the cleric said he did not.

Oritsejafor also weighed in on President Bola Tinubu’s administration, expressing deep concern over the state of the country and advising the president against seeking a second term in office.

He said the current administration had worsened Nigeria’s challenges and questioned the government’s ability to reverse the country’s declining fortunes.

While stopping short of calling for Tinubu’s resignation, he urged the president to be honest with himself about his capacity to address the country’s problems.

“Don’t pretend to know what to do when you don’t know what to do. Don’t pretend that you can take Nigeria out of where it is now, when you know you can’t,” he stated.

He also took aim at the administration’s Renewed Hope agenda, arguing that most Nigerians had lost confidence in the government due to economic hardship and insecurity.

“The average Nigerian today has no hope, except if you say you look up to God to give you hope,” he said.

Oritsejafor concluded by urging Tinubu to refrain from pursuing another term, saying the president should not “begin to dream of coming back to continue this same mess.”