Ten prominent Nigerians have sounded alarm bells over the state of the nation. The group warned that Nigeria faces a deepening crisis driven by insecurity, electoral fraud, and weakening democratic institutions.
Prof. Attahiru Jega, the former INEC chairman, led the call for action.
Alongside him were Prof Ibrahim Gambari, ex-Chief of Staff to the President, and eight other respected figures.
They released their statement on June 8, 2026, titled "Statement on the State of the Nation." According to the signatories, Nigeria had reached a critical juncture threatening its very survival.
In their words: "Rising insecurity, an alarming level of electoral manipulation by government, and the weakening of democratic institutions are converging into a national crisis." The group insisted the country stood "at a dangerous crossroads."
Jega and his colleagues expressed deep concern about the separation of powers. They alleged that key institutions had been systematically weakened and made subordinate to the presidency.
"The legislative branch has been placed under near-total control of the executive branch," the statement read. "The judiciary appears to have lost both its independence and its integrity."
Institutional decay, they argued, had eroded public trust in government. Political exclusion, impunity and insecurity had flourished as a result.
The group linked Nigeria's troubles to turmoil across the Sahel region. Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger face terrorism, arms smuggling, coup d'états and unguarded borders.
"Nigeria's crisis cannot be separated from broader instability engulfing the Sahel," they noted. Border vulnerabilities and regional upheaval have intensified security threats at home.
To tackle the problem, they urged President Tinubu to appoint a Special Envoy for the Sahel. Such an official could rebuild fractured ties between ECOWAS and the Alliance of Sahel States (AES).
Civil society, professional bodies, religious leaders and business groups must defend democracy, the signatories insisted. Citizens must demand accountability from those in power.
Concerns about INEC featured prominently in their statement. They cited "clear and consistent indications" that the electoral body lacked neutrality and competence.
Civic groups and the Nigerian Bar Association should pressure INEC now, they recommended. The 2027 elections must be "free, fair and credible," they stressed.
Finally, the group called on the judiciary and the National Judicial Council to act. Both bodies need strengthened accountability mechanisms to restore confidence in Nigeria's justice system.
