The hypocrisy of today’s so-called democrats

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By Sadiq Muhammed

Once upon a time, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu stood as a fierce critic of dictatorship, a self-styled defender of democracy, and a voice against unconstitutional rule.

Fast forward to today, and the same man now comfortably sits atop a system riddled with the very tyranny, impunity, and disregard for the rule of law he once opposed.

But Tinubu is not alone; alongside him are a host of so called “democrats” who have shamelessly traded in their principles for power, transforming overnight from advocates of freedom to enforcers of authoritarianism.

Nowhere is their hypocrisy more blatant than in their selective application of Supreme Court judgments. One striking example is the same federal actors who proudly cited the Supreme Court’s ruling to justify withholding Rivers State’s allocation claiming the absence of a lawful budget and suddenly reversed themselves and are now disbursing funds without a budget to an illegal, unelected administration, in total defiance of the same supreme court judgement.

When the Supreme Court declared it illegal to fund unlawful governments, they clung to it. But now, they toss that ruling aside to serve their political interests.

The Supreme Court pronouncement was very clear. Instead of adhering to the rule of law, these so called democrats continue to prop up illegitimate administrations, funnelling public funds to illegal structures while daring anyone to challenge them.

Their hypocrisy extends further. The selective anti corruption crusade aggressively targeting opposition members while shielding loyalists from prosecution has become a tragic hallmark of this administration.

Those who once screamed about accountability have conveniently gone mute when their own allies are implicated. It begs the question: What happened to the fiery democrats who fought against tyranny? When did they become the tyrants they once condemned?

Democracy is not a buffet where you pick and choose which laws to follow. It requires consistency, integrity, and submission to institutions, whether or not the outcome favors you. Sadly, Nigeria’s political class has shown time and again that for them, power trumps principle.

History will remember your hypocrisy bitterly. Those who fought dictators yesterday, only to become dictators today, have betrayed not just themselves, but an entire generation’s hope for genuine democracy.

Muhammed can be reached at sadiqu2013@gmail.com