Former National Legal Adviser of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) Jacob Mark has declared that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu must be held responsible for the growing hardships faced by Nigerians, stating that he cannot selectively claim credit for achievements while evading blame for the country’s worsening state.
Speaking in an interview with ARISE NEWS on Wednesday, Mark stressed that all perceived successes under the current administration from infrastructure projects in Abuja to economic initiatives are being credited to Tinubu, and he must also shoulder responsibility for the nation’s failures.
“Everything that resembles an achievement or success has been attributed to Tinubu,” Mark said. “So it means the buck stops on his tail and equity demands that when you take the benefits you also take the liabilities.
“There is no doubt that if there are things wrong with Nigeria and there are indeed many things wrong with Nigeria.”
Mark listed several ongoing crises, including hunger, rising insecurity, renewed violence in Plateau and Benue states, and the recent suicide bombing in Abuja. “We have hunger, we have become the worst capital of hunger under him.
“We have seen the insurgence of killing and off-course we all know that two days ago there was the death of a suicide Bomber in Abuja.”
“Only God knows what his target was but we have not had this for some time now and it’s happening under him.
“We have seen the killings in Plateau, Benue getting back on a latter scale. The killings have resumed, so if we want to be Frank and sincere when Tinubu take credit for all the things that are happening and says yes those are the records or evidence of performance he must also be prepared to take responsibility for the failures,” he explained.
He added that many civil servants now work only three days a week due to transportation and economic challenges, and an increasing number of Nigerians live hand-to-mouth. “All the pain being felt by Nigerians who can no longer move.
“Some civil servants go to work three days in a week now, some cannot feed, many Nigerians are living from hand to mouth and so these are realities we cannot run away from and the president is to blame.”
Touching on the NEC’s internal party matters, Mark clarified why the committee had not yet taken a final decision on the appointment of a new party secretary. Although legally able to proceed, the NEC chose to issue a 21-day notice to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) before making a formal decision at its next meeting scheduled for June 30, 2025.
“So we didn’t want to rush into taking such decisions without giving INEC such notice but truly anybody that has been a member of NEC or has been in the NWC knows that generally INEC does not deserve and it’s not required to be notified when we have NEC meetings.”
He also criticised party outliers like Nyesom Wike, Minister of Federal Capital Territory (FCT) for sidelining party structures and decision-making bodies. Mark accused Wike of undermining the party by holding unofficial meetings and supporting President Tinubu while claiming to remain in the PDP.
“If he wants an agreement with PDP he should come to where PDP members are meeting particularly the executive committee that is where agreements are drawn.
“You don’t call your friends to a guest house, share a couple of drinks or tea and then make decisions on behalf of all of us.
“We are rightfully and legally entitled to participate in decision making, all of us members of NEC cannot be marooned into one guest house where decisions are taken and at the end of the day they become binded, it’s not correct,” he said.
Responding to rumours about Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde’s presidential ambitions, Mark hinted they may be true, but said they are far less concerning than Wike’s overt disloyalty.
“Wike said that he is in PDP even though he does not attend PDP meetings but that he is in PDP but is supporting Tinubu. That is the highest level of irresponsibility and disloyalty that can be found in any political party,” he concluded.
Erizia Rubyjeana
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