“90% political compensation for APC members” — Anosike slams President Tinubu’s Democracy Day honours list

Public affairs analyst Dr. Peter Anosike on Saturday, criticized President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Democracy Day honours list and national security narrative, describing both as disconnected from Nigeria’s lived realities and increasingly reduced to political messaging.

Speaking on Voice of the People TV (VOPTV) Political Lens, Dr. Anosike argued that the honours list announced during the President’s Democracy Day address was largely driven by political loyalty rather than democratic sacrifice or historical contribution.

“I saw those names and was shocked… Ninety percent of those names have nothing to do with the struggle for democracy. They were rewarded for being good members of APC.” He stated.

His remarks come amid ongoing national debate over the credibility of political rewards systems, state recognition, and the place of historical activists in Nigeria’s democratic memory.

Mr Anosike faulted the omission of key pro-democracy figures, insisting that the gesture weakened the symbolic meaning of June 12 recognition.

“Agbakoba was in prison… he almost got blinded at some point in Yaba during protests in 1993. His name is not there… This list does not mean anything to me.” Mr Anosike criticized.

Mr Anosike also expanded his criticism to Nigeria’s broader democratic trajectory, arguing that the country has failed to translate civilian rule into meaningful development or rights protection.

“We’ve made one step forward and five steps backward… Democracy does not mean changing khaki to civilian clothing. Democracy means development, it means observing fundamental human rights.” he said.

Security claims “mere paperwork”, Nigeria worse than war zones – Anosike

In a separate but related critique, Mr Anosike rejected official claims from the presidency regarding improvements in national security, insisting that conditions on the ground contradict government figures.

“All those things are mere paperwork. In reality, it is the opposite. Security is far worse now… We are running a very big deficit in terms of human lives lost. More people have died in Nigeria than in Ukraine that is in a real war.” he argued.

He described presidential anniversary speeches as overly curated narratives designed to project success rather than reflect operational realities.

“For me, his words are rhetoric and no action… This is what speech writers do for the president every anniversary day to make the government look good on paper.” he added.

The analyst further questioned federal agricultural interventions, particularly plans to import tractors, arguing that insecurity has already crippled farming communities across the country.

“Who is going to farm when bandits have occupied all the fields?… If every farmer should have one policeman, how many policemen do we have in this country?”

Background

President Tinubu, during his Democracy Day address, highlighted what he described as major security gains including the neutralization of insurgents and expanded defence reforms, alongside new agricultural interventions aimed at addressing food inflation.

However, independent data from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) continues to show worsening food insecurity, with millions of Nigerians facing acute hunger and rural farming zones increasingly abandoned due to persistent attacks and bandit activity.

Mr Anosike’s comments add to growing public debate over whether official government statistics align with everyday realities, especially in regions affected by prolonged insecurity and economic hardship.

Watch full analysis here: