…You’re petty-minded dictator, Soyinka blasts US leader
…Northern, Hausa Christians allege persecution, maginalisation
…PDP calls on US to defend Nigeria’s democracy
BY TONY UDOKA AND JENNIFER EZIMAKOR
President Bola Tinubu has assured the United States that Nigeria will not succumb to terrorism or extremist violence, declaring that his administration remains resolute in its determination to defeat insecurity and preserve the nation’s unity.
His statement followed renewed tensions sparked by former U.S. President Donald Trump’s recent comments and Washington’s subsequent warning accusing Nigeria of tolerating what it described as “systemic persecution of Christians,” a claim the Nigerian government has rejected as misleading and politically motivated.
Speaking at the State House on Thursday after swearing in two new ministers from Enugu and Plateau States, Dr. Kingsley Tochukwu Udeh and Dr. Bernard Mohammed Doro, President Tinubu reiterated that Nigeria’s fight against terrorism is anchored on justice, collaboration, and faith in national resilience.
He emphasized that his administration would continue to engage constructively with international partners without compromising Nigeria’s sovereignty, stressing that progress would be measured not by rhetoric but by results.
“Despite the political headwind and the fear of our people, we will continue to engage with our partners. The success of the $2.3 billion bond being oversubscribed is remarkable at this stage,” Tinubu said. “The task ahead is immense, but we assure all that we will defeat terrorism in the country. We move forward with unity and purpose, guided by our Renewed Hope Agenda to build a prosperous, inclusive, and resilient Nigeria.”
The Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun, later announced that Nigeria’s GDP grew by 4.23 percent in the second quarter of 2025, marking the strongest quarterly expansion in a decade outside the post-COVID rebound.
He attributed the growth to renewed investor confidence and fiscal discipline. The Federal Executive Council also observed a minute’s silence in honour of late national figures, Senator Solomon Ewuga, former Minister of State for the FCT, and General Mohammed Abdullahi, former Military Governor of Benue-Plateau State and pioneer Director-General of the Nigerian Security Organisation (NSO).
President Tinubu’s comments came as international pressure mounted on his administration to respond to global narratives portraying Nigeria as unsafe for religious minorities. The Presidency maintains that terrorism in Nigeria is indiscriminate and affects citizens of all faiths, describing the “Christian genocide” label as a distortion of complex security realities. “Nigeria seeks partnership, not pity,” an aide quoted Tinubu as saying, “and we will win this fight for peace on our own terms.”
But while Tinubu sought to reassure Washington, Nobel laureate Professor Wole Soyinka launched a blistering critique of Donald Trump’s posture toward Nigeria, describing the former U.S. leader as “a petty-minded dictator.”
In an interview with BBC News, Soyinka accused Trump of using diplomatic threats as instruments of intimidation, arguing that the United States had adopted a condescending stance toward African nations.
“Trump has repeatedly shown the tendencies of a petty-minded dictator, using the threat of power to intimidate less powerful nations,” he said, adding that such behaviour undermines the sovereignty and dignity of nations. “We expect cooperation, not condescension.”
Soyinka’s remarks, which came after he was reportedly denied a U.S. visa, have stirred debate over whether his criticism was personal or patriotic. Some analysts see his comments as a defence of Nigeria’s image amid rising foreign pressure, while others read them as a personal rebuke.
Still, Soyinka urged the Federal Government to resist any external attempt to “cow Nigeria into submission,” warning that the normalization of bully politics by global powers could endanger emerging democracies.
Amid the controversy, the Arewa Christians and Indigenous Pastors Association (ACIPA) accused the Nigerian government of denying Northern and Hausa Christians access to employment, scholarships, and federal appointments despite its denial of persecution.
In an open letter addressed to President Tinubu and the Attorney-General of the Federation, Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, the group alleged that systemic discrimination persists in the North, citing a recent case in which a Christian candidate from the North East, who topped the list with 83 percent in the Federal Permanent Secretary selection interview, was sidelined in favour of another candidate who scored 54 percent.
ACIPA Chairman, Dr. Luke Shehu, described the incident as “a travesty and persecution” and called on the authorities to “correct this abnormality and travesty with immediate effect.” The group further urged “all advocates against persecution” to rise and demand fairness for Northern Christians, insisting that religious bias in governance has become “a norm that is no longer acceptable.”
Meanwhile, domestic political discontent continues to simmer as the PDP Like-Minds Group staged a peaceful protest at the U.S. Embassy in Abuja, calling on Washington to help safeguard Nigeria’s democracy. Led by South-South Coordinator, Ebiowei Amakiri, the protesters submitted a letter titled “Appeal for the United States to Intervene in Safeguarding Nigeria’s Democracy,” dated November 4, 2025, and addressed to U.S. Ambassador Richard Mills. The group alleged that the ruling party’s actions, along with elements in INEC and sections of the judiciary, were “weakening democratic institutions through corruption, intimidation, and institutional compromise.” The letter urged the U.S. government to use its diplomatic influence to prevent Nigeria’s democracy from “total collapse” and to ensure that justice and human rights remain protected.
Copies of the letter were also delivered to the European Union Ambassador, Gautier Mignot, the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, and the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun. Since Nigeria’s return to democracy in 1999, concerns over political manipulation, institutional weakness, and erosion of checks and balances have persisted, but the PDP group said it was hopeful that international engagement could help “send a strong message to those who abuse power that the world is watching.”