Former Osun State Governor, Olagunsoye Oyinlola, has voiced strong criticism of the current Bola Ahmed Tinubu-led administration, stating that the promises of “Renewed Hope” made during the 2023 campaign have instead translated into “renewed agony” for the Nigerian people.
Speaking on a radio programme monitored by Chronicle NG, Oyinlola, a retired Army general who governed Osun State from May 29, 2003, to November 26, 2010, lamented what he described as a deteriorating national condition under Tinubu’s leadership.
“When he was campaigning, he promised a Renewed Hope. What we are seeing now is nothing short of bad governance. The economy is in terrible shape, and it’s affecting every Nigerian,” he declared.
Oyinlola’s comments come on the heels of a political move by Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke and leaders of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in the state, who last week endorsed Tinubu’s re-election bid for 2027 during a stakeholders’ meeting at the Government House in Oke-Fia, Osogbo.
While acknowledging the endorsement, Oyinlola clarified that the move was strategic rather than ideological.
“We have a very bad economy, bad security, and hard-biting poverty. The common man cannot afford basic medication. We are also plagued by religious tension, war, banditry, terrorism, and insurgency. What we have is renewed agony not renewed hope,” he said.
The former governor emphasized that he does not distance himself from the endorsement but urged Nigerians to look beyond political gestures and focus on the real impact of government policies on the lives of ordinary citizens.
Oyinlola’s remarks add to the growing chorus of discontent over the state of the nation, with critics increasingly highlighting economic hardship, insecurity, and poor governance as key failures of the current administration.
