- Says it lacks credibility, does not address Nigerians’ hardship and hunger
BY SEGUN ADEBAYO – Former Vice President and Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2023 general elections, Atiku Abubakar has knocked President Bola Tinubu’s national broadcast on the #EndBadGovernance and hunger protests as hollow and lacking credibility.
Insisting that the broadcast, meant to assuage frayed nerves and quell the fervour of public protests against his administration’s poor governance, utterly missed the mark, Atiku said it is regrettable that the speech failed to address the pressing economic hardship confronting Nigerians since the administration came on board in May 2023.
President Tinubu, in a national broadcast on Sunday, called for an end to the #EndBadGovernance protests that have disrupted socio-economic activities across the country since 1 August, saying the government has heard the complaints of the protesters “loud and clear.”
The Waziri Adamawa said in a statement by his media aide, Paul Ibe, that contrary to expectations, the President’s speech neither responded to the demands of the protesters nor presented “groundbreaking reforms”, especially those aimed at reducing the high cost of governance in the country.
The statement by Atiku read in part; “His speech neglects the pressing economic hardships that have besieged Nigerian families since the very beginning of his tenure.
“President Bola Tinubu’s broadcast this morning, intended to quell the fervour of public protests against his administration’s poor governance, utterly misses the mark. His speech neglects the pressing economic hardships that have besieged Nigerian families since the very beginning of his tenure.
“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 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.
“The opposition did not create the economic quagmire we find ourselves in; this disaster is solely the result of the Tinubu administration’s trial-and-error policies. It is high time they stopped the blame game and faced the reality of their failures.”
