Atiku criticizes Tinubu’s speech, Says it failed to address hardship

Atiku Abubakar, the 2023 presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, has criticized President Bola Tinubu’s speech to the #EndBadGovernance protesters, describing it as hollow and inadequate in addressing the hardships faced by Nigerians.

As economic difficulties escalate, many Nigerians struggle to afford basic necessities. In response, youth-led protests began on Thursday and have continued through Saturday in cities like Abuja, Lagos, Kaduna, Kano, Rivers, and others, demanding an end to hunger and poor governance.

In his Sunday broadcast, President Tinubu urged the protesters to cease their demonstrations. He explained that his decision to remove the fuel subsidy and unify foreign exchange systems was necessary to eliminate exploitation by smugglers and rent-seekers.

Tinubu added that these measures also stopped unjust subsidies benefiting neighboring countries at Nigerians’ expense, which had severely weakened the nation’s economy.

He emphasized that the Nigerian economy had been stagnant for decades due to numerous misalignments hindering its growth. Tinubu said,

“Just over a year ago, our dear country, Nigeria, reached a point where we couldn’t afford to continue using temporary solutions to solve long-term problems for the sake of now and our unborn generations. These decisions I made were necessary if we must reverse the decades of economic mismanagement that didn’t serve us well. Yes, I agree, the buck stops with me. But I can assure you that I am fully focused on delivering governance to the people – good governance, for that matter.”

In a statement on Sunday, Atiku pointed out that President Tinubu’s broadcast overlooks the severe economic challenges Nigerian families have faced since the start of his administration. He stated, “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.”