Ayo Oritsejafor, a former chieftain of the Christian Association of Nigeria, says Nigeria is worse off under President Bola Tinubu and urges the president not to seek another term in office.

“Nigeria is in a mess, big trouble. I fear for Nigeria. The government of Tinubu has done more harm to this nation than this nation has ever experienced. One thing I can say categorically is, look, don’t begin to dream of coming back to continue this same mess,” Mr Oritsejafor stated in a Channels TV interview.

The cleric added, “I think what I would say to him is, look, don’t pretend to know what to do when you don’t know what to do. Don’t pretend that you can take Nigeria out of where it is now, when you know you can’t, and begin to plan to come back.

“In one of the programmes I did, I said, ‘Look, I hear people say renewed hope’. You must have hope first before you renew it. The average Nigerian today has no hope, except if you say you look up to God to give you hope. So, I would leave President Tinubu to make that choice himself.”

Mr Oritsejafor further recalled warning Nigerians against voting former President Muhammadu Buhari into power, adding he knew he would make a mess of the country.

Mr Oritsejafor added, “It has got to a point where I feel I must begin to say something, because I pastor people; they are human beings, they are Nigerians, and we must begin to hold people accountable for what’s happening. I am happy today that I am speaking out.”

Mr Oritsejafor’s statement came amid multilayered challenges in the country, including killings, abductions and economic hardship resulting from Mr Tinubu’s removal of subsidy and floating of the naira.

Meanwhile, according to presidential spokesperson Bayo Onanuga, Nigerians are not as hungry as critics claim.