Human rights activist, Omoyele Sowore, has launched a scathing attack on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu's administration ahead of Democracy Day, declaring that Nigerians made a "grave mistake" by voting him into office.

In an exclusive interview with Vanguard, Sowore claimed that Tinubu's leadership has accelerated Nigeria's decline, surpassing even the widely criticized tenure of former President Muhammadu Buhari.

"My position on this government is not a thought, it's a clear stance I've held long before the 2023 elections. Nigerians made a grave mistake voting Bola Tinubu into office," Sowore stated.

"I said it before, and I'll say it again: when Tinubu is done with this country, Nigerians will be begging to return to Buhari's era. He has done irreparable damage economically, socially, politically. He has crippled institutions, education, and democracy. Buhari killed Nigeria in eight years; Tinubu came, in two years he is burying it."

The activist, who has previously contested presidential elections, expressed concern that Tinubu's policies have deepened poverty, weakened institutions, and undermined democratic values. He warned that Nigeria stands at the brink of collapse, with citizens increasingly losing faith in the electoral system.

"What Nigerians are whispering dangerously is that they no longer believe in democracy," he said. "The promises of democracy, free speech, credible elections, freedom to choose have been destroyed. Today, people celebrate military dictators just to express their frustration."

Sowore firmly opposed a proposed law by the House of Representatives to make voting compulsory, describing it as an attempt to manufacture legitimacy through coercion.

"If you have to use threats to force people to vote, then democracy is dead. Democracy is about choice. You cannot force people to participate in a system they no longer believe in," he argued. "That proposal is not about boosting participation, it's about forced legitimacy."

When questioned about a potential 2027 presidential run, Sowore expressed skepticism about the current electoral system, stating, "The 2027 results are already written. The only thing that can change Nigeria is rebellion against the system, against another sham election, not against democracy."

He rejected potential alliances with opposition figures like PDP's Atiku Abubakar and LP's Peter Obi, arguing that what Nigeria needs is systemic change rather than merely changing leadership.

Sowore criticized the current opposition, describing them as lacking ideological differences from the ruling party. "Most of them are former APC or PDP members. They share the same ideology or lack of one. Real opposition means clear ideological difference. What we have are political mercenaries looking for the best-paying camp," he concluded.