Comrade Wale Balogun, the Convener of the civil society group Mekunnu Koya, has issued a scathing indictment of the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu-led administration, describing the current political climate as a “steady reversal” of Nigeria’s democratic hard-won gains.
In a strongly worded statement released from Lagos on February 6, 2026, Balogun accused the All Progressives Congress (APC) of replacing popular sovereignty with a “template of self-perpetuation, deceit, and elite conspiracy.”
Balogun drew chilling parallels between the current administration and the military regimes of the past. He specifically cited the annulment of the June 12, 1993, election as a historic missed opportunity, claiming the same “Maradonic” tactics are being deployed today. He characterised President Tinubu not as a progressive but as a “civilian dictator” whose agenda threatens the foundation of the nation.
The activist highlighted the plight of the urban poor in communities such as Makoko, Oworonshoki, and Otumara, who face systemic land grabbing and homelessness. Furthermore, he noted that despite approximately ₦34 billion spent on foreign travels to court investors, mass hunger and inflation continue to climb. He also criticised the Senate under Godswill Akpabio, describing it as a mere “rubber stamp” for executive lawlessness.
Central to the group’s grievance is the refusal to mandate the electronic transmission of election results. Balogun argued that the Senate’s decision to exclude this safeguard from the Electoral Act amendments exposes a “real agenda” to manipulate future polls. The statement warned that the upcoming off-cycle governorship elections in Ekiti and Osun will be the ultimate litmus test for the 2027 general elections.
The Mekunnu Koya convener also hit out at the recent wave of defections to the APC, alleging that governors and lawmakers are being arm-twisted or induced with multi-billion naira incentives. He warned that political coercion cannot manufacture legitimacy and predicted that voters would reject defecting leaders at the polls.
Concluding his statement, Balogun called for sustained, peaceful mass resistance to defend the sanctity of the ballot. He urged the over 200 million Nigerians to reject what he termed a de facto one-party state and demand genuine electoral reform before the next major voting cycle.
