President Tinubu’s Critique of Privatization and Party Politics

By Okoi Obono-Obla

On April 17, 2026, President Bola Tinubu addressed the Renewed Hope Ambassadors of Nigeria at the State House in Abuja. In his remarks, he revisited Nigeria’s history of privatization and used it as a metaphor to criticize the opposition.

Failed Privatization of Public Enterprises:

President Tinubu highlighted the record of the former Chairman of the National Privatization Council of Nigeria, who oversaw the sale of several major public enterprises. Among the enterprises mentioned were:

Delta Steel Mill;

Ajaokuta Steel Mill;

ANAMCO;

Leyland;

Peugeot;

Osogbo Steel Rolling Mill;

Jos Steel Rolling Mill;

Nigeria Airways;

Nigerian National Shipping Line;

Volkswagen;

Aluminium Smelter Plant,Ikot Abasi;

African Petroleum etc

According to President Tinubu, these privatization efforts largely ended in failure, leaving the enterprises defunct or unable to fulfill their intended purpose.

Extending the Metaphor: Privatizing a Political Party:

Tinubu went further, accusing the opposition leader of attempting to “privatize someone’s political party.” While a political party cannot literally be privatized in the economic sense, Tinubu’s statement was a rhetorical device. He implied that the opposition leader treated the party as personal property rather than a democratic institution.

What This Means:

Personalization of politics: The party was allegedly run as a private enterprise, serving the ambitions of one individual.

Erosion of internal democracy: Decision-making was concentrated in the hands of a single leader, undermining collective participation.

Metaphorical critique: By equating party control with failed privatization, Tinubu framed the opposition as incapable of managing both public enterprises and democratic institutions.

Political Implications:

President Tinubu’s remarks serve a dual purpose:

Historical reminder: By pointing to failed privatizations, he underscores the economic mismanagement of past leadership.

Political attack: By extending the metaphor to party politics, he portrays the opposition as undemocratic and self-serving.

Conclusion:
The President’s comments highlight how economic language can be used to frame political criticism. In this case, “privatizing a political party” was not about economics but about control, personalization, and the erosion of democratic values within opposition ranks.

@ Okoi Obono-Obla