By THE General Overseer of Goshen Freedom Tabernacle (GFT), Prophet Austin Ariole JP, has delivered a scathing critique of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration, describing it as fraught with hardship and unfulfilled promises.
In a hard-hitting statement issued in Effurun, Uvwie Local Government Area of Delta State, the outspoken cleric declared that the so-called Renewed Hope agenda has brought only “pain and agony” to ordinary Nigerians, while the elite and political class remain insulated.
“President Tinubu took audacious steps like petrol subsidy removal, but the pain is now beyond managing,” Prophet Ariole said. “Projects are budgeted across geopolitical zones, but execution is lacking. Everything looks like a mirage.”
The cleric questioned the failure to complete key infrastructure projects, citing abandoned roads between Benin and Warri, and the incomplete rail line from Itakpe, which he says should logically extend to Abuja. “Why terminate the railway in Ajaokuta? The coastal road is a brilliant concept, but is anything actually happening there?” he asked.
He also condemned the cost of renovating the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos, calling it excessive amidst nationwide hunger and joblessness.
Ariole expressed concern over the student loan programme, questioning how graduates will repay their loans in a job-scarce economy.
“After NYSC, many resort to POS businesses and riding Keke. Is this the reward for a university degree?” he asked.
He lamented the loss of job opportunities in the oil and gas sector for youths in the Niger Delta, adding that the government now relies on private security firms like Tantita for regional control.
He accused the government of misusing public funds, referencing tractors purchased for show rather than productivity. “Just like the machines bought under President IBB for vocational training—many were never used and simply vanished.”
The cleric declared that Nigeria is facing a state of emergency, citing alarming poverty statistics and a worsening security situation.
He mourned the recent death of a young man known as Fish Magnate in Anambra State, blaming governmental negligence.
“Nigerians need jobs, food, electricity and, above all, security,” he stressed.
Prophet Ariole also criticised former Labour Party presidential aspirant Peter Obi, saying he failed to unify his party and is now pursuing “an unholy alliance that won’t favour him” ahead of 2027.
He further warned that the absence of a strong opposition has enabled unchecked governance.
Responding to claims by another senior cleric that Tinubu had “bewitched” Nigeria, Ariole dismissed the notion as embarrassing. “If the church believes Nigeria is under a spell, then where is the power we proclaim on social media?”
He concluded by urging the Federal Government to genuinely implement its plans. “Nigeria will rise again—but only if the government gets serious.”
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