Former President of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor, has urged President Bola Tinubu not to seek a second term in office, arguing that the current administration has failed to deliver the hope and progress promised to Nigerians.

Oritsejafor made the remarks during an appearance on Channels Television’s Politics Today, where he expressed concern over the state of the nation and the growing hardships faced by citizens.

According to the cleric, the government’s performance has fallen short of public expectations, particularly in areas relating to economic well-being and national security.

“Don’t begin to dream of coming back to continue this same mess,” Oritsejafor said while commenting on the possibility of Tinubu seeking re-election in 2027.

The outspoken religious leader maintained that many Nigerians have become increasingly frustrated by the country's economic realities and security challenges.

He argued that the administration’s “Renewed Hope” agenda has not translated into meaningful improvements in the lives of ordinary citizens.

“The government of Tinubu has done more harm to this nation than this nation has ever experienced,” he stated.

Oritsejafor further claimed that confidence in government has declined significantly among Nigerians, many of whom are struggling with rising costs of living and uncertainty about the future.

“The average Nigerian today has no hope, except if you say you look up to God to give you hope,” he added.

While stopping short of explicitly calling for the president’s resignation, the former CAN president advised Tinubu to honestly evaluate his capacity to address the country's mounting challenges.

“I would not sit here categorically and tell him resign. But 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,” he said.

Oritsejafor also revisited the political debates that surrounded the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan, recalling how Jonathan was frequently criticised by political opponents during his time in office.

He questioned the performance of some of those critics who have since assumed leadership positions within government.

“Where are those people now? Are they not the same people today who are in power?” he asked.

The cleric argued that many individuals who described Jonathan as “clueless” are now in positions of authority but have struggled to deliver better outcomes for Nigerians.

“People who called him clueless, but they wouldn’t allow him to do the things he needed to do. They protested against him all over the place in Lagos especially, and across the country,” he said.

According to Oritsejafor, several of those who actively supported protests against Jonathan are now key figures within the country's political leadership.

“Now, the people who sponsored all those protests, who did a lot of all those things, many of them are the people in power today. So, now they have the clue, but look at where Nigeria is now,” he added.

When asked whether he regretted publicly supporting Jonathan during the 2015 presidential election, Oritsejafor responded without hesitation.

“No, I don’t,” he said.

His comments have added to the growing political conversation surrounding governance, economic reforms, and the outlook ahead of the 2027 general elections.