Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has criticised President Bola Tinubu’s nationwide broadcast, saying it did not the address the demands of #EndBadGovernance protesters, neither did it hold any hope of ending the suffering of Nigerians.
President Tinubu on Sunday succumbed to pressure by notable Nigerians urging him to address Nigerians on the ongoing hunger protest which commenced in August 1.
Tinubu in his broadcast urged the protesters to have a rethink assuring that his administration was committed to ending the current economic impasse.
He said among other things that his decision to remove the fuel subsidy and unify the foreign exchange systems was necessary to eliminate the exploitation by smugglers and rent-seekers.
Tinubu added that this move also stopped the unjust subsidies benefiting neighbouring countries at the expense of Nigerians, which had severely weakened the nation’s economy.
He emphasized that the Nigerian economy had been stagnant for decades due to numerous misalignments that hindered its growth.
But reacting to the President’s speech, the former presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in the 2023 general elections said In a statement on Sunday that Tinubu’s broadcast overlooks the severe economic challenges that Nigerian families have faced since the start of his administration.
He said “This address lacks credibility and fails to offer any immediate, tangible solutions to the Nigerian people. Given the extensive publicity surrounding the protests and the threats issued by government officials against demonstrators, one would have expected President Tinubu to present groundbreaking reforms, particularly those aimed at reducing the exorbitant costs of governance.
“But alas, no such announcements were made. The President ignored the protesters’ demands, such as suspending the purchase of aircraft for the President, downsizing his bloated cabinet, or even eliminating the costly and burdensome office of the First Lady, who has been indulging in extravagant trips at the nation’s expense.
“In his lacklustre recorded speech, President Tinubu offered a superficial account of his so-called reforms, revealing his own tenuous grasp of policy as he failed to convince his audience. While the President has spoken, it is unfortunate that his words lack substance and respect for the protesters’ sentiments, leaving Nigerians with little faith in his reform agenda – if one exists at all.
“We urge the President and his team to own up to their failures over the past 14 months and abandon the absurd theory that the protests are orchestrated by the opposition. This administration has failed on all fronts, even in the simple task of keeping a presidential speech confidential.
“Typically, presidential addresses are shared under embargo with media houses. However, the premature leak of this speech, allowing Nigerians to read along with the President in real-time, starkly illustrates the media, nay Nigerians dwindling confidence in this administration.”
