The Publicity Secretary of Yoruba socio-cultural organisation, Afenifere, Justice Faloye, has accused President Bola Tinubu’s administration of committing economic treason against Nigeria and therefore has no justification to continue holding innocent Nigerians that participated in the recent #EndBadGovernance protests in custody.

Faloye, who spoke on a television programme, which was monitored by The Guardian, yesterday, said Nigeria is gradually returning to the days of the military despot, the late Gen. Sani Abacha, under whom any perceived opposition is hounded into prison.

He said that the Afenifere is concerned about the way things are going and not only the harassment of President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Joe Ajero, “but we have hundreds of people that are being prosecuted for treason for partaking in the hunger protests. How do you charge people for treason for partaking in hunger protests? How do you charge people for treason for partaking in protest against the disruption of their economic livelihood?”

Faloye also flayed the government for going after Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) and the recent arrest and release of the Regional Editor of The Conversation Africa, Adejuwon Soyinka.

Faloye, who stated that the Afenifere does not have factions but those who for prebendal motives decided to go with Tinubu, said: “Tinubu did nothing as governor in Lagos State. He is not the father of new Lagos.”

RELATEDLY, Afenifere Chief Economist, Segun Sanni, has expressed disappointment over the lavish lifestyle of politicians while Nigerians complain of hardship and hunger.

Sanni, who was a guest on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily programme, yesterday, frowned on the “lavish” spending by the President Bola Tinubu-led Federal Government.

“The people of Nigeria would understand better if the government can come clean with us. Nigeria is indeed very broke. We need to cut costs.

“A government that is spending lavishly and living large cannot tell Nigerians that Nigeria is broke. We are indeed broke but our government is not using our resources on itself as if we are indeed broke.

“Spending N90 billion on hajj, N21 billion on a new Vice President’s lodge, N40.6 billion in this year’s budget to renovate Aso Rock and the rest of it we hear. We hear all these scandalous figures being mentioned but how much of it is being spent on the people,” he queried.

Sanni also condemned the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) for spending the country’s funds without proper accountability, adding that the audit released in 2023 could not be trusted.

“We have an NNPC, the most corrupt, opaque and inefficient organisation in the world. NNPC is more or less a sales man. We have an arrangement in place where NNPCL collects our money after selling the oil and spends out of it the way it likes without any monitoring, oversight or supervision. Those expenses of NNPCL that nobody has monitored are what Nigerians are being called on to bear, Sanni added. He, therefore, called for a more judicious spending of government’s resources where every fund is properly accounted for.