A day after President Bola Tinubu’s nationwide address following the #EndBadGovernance protests, Peter Obi, the Labour Party (LP) presidential candidate for the 2023 election, has criticized the Commander-in-Chief, stating that the broadcast does not reflect the harsh realities faced by Nigerians.
Following days of protests, President Tinubu appealed to demonstrators to leave the streets, assuring them that his administration was actively addressing Nigeria’s challenges. However, Obi contended that the President’s address failed to address the core demands that fueled the nationwide hunger protests.
“The President’s address regrettably appeared disconnected from the harsh realities faced by the people and failed to address critical issues that initially triggered the protest,” Obi stated in a Monday post on X.
He further elaborated, “It either reflects a lack of awareness among his advisers regarding the scale of anger, hunger, and hardship in the country, or a deliberate choice to disregard it. While the President’s speech focused on the past, the people are concerned with the present and the future. He should begin by addressing pressing issues such as the exorbitant cost of governance, measures to tackle corruption, the high cost of living, and directing resources effectively towards critical areas like health, education, and poverty alleviation.”
Obi reiterated his call for President Tinubu to declare a comprehensive war on insecurity, the economy, poverty, unemployment, and the power sector.
In response to the President’s address, Obi expressed his disappointment, noting, “Having led the call for the President to address the nation and respond to the demands of the people, and having listened to the belated speech, I needed to delay my response to see if my understanding of the address was aligned.”
The former Anambra State governor urged President Tinubu to involve the populace in his administration’s economic development plans. He suggested regular briefings, whether quarterly or biannually, as practiced in other countries facing similar challenges.
Despite his criticisms, Obi commended President Tinubu for finally addressing the nation, albeit belatedly. He noted that such a timely address might have prevented the unnecessary loss of innocent lives, including those of security agents.
