Former Anambra State governor and Labour Party presidential candidate in the 2023 election, Peter Obi, said President Bola Tinubu made a poor speech, which failed to address the yearnings of the people.
Mr. Obi a vocal opposition figure in the currently political dispensation said in a statement Monday, that the address suggested that the President was out of touch with realities and the bigotry tearing the nation apart.
Obi’s statement reads in part:
“I must begin by thanking the President for finally addressing the people, albeit belatedly, which might have prevented the unnecessary loss of innocent lives, including those of our security agents.
“While I had hoped that, in consoling the families of those who lost their loved ones in the protest, he would also show some empathy towards those who were injured, arrested, and detained due to the overzealous and unprofessional conduct of some security operatives, this was unfortunately not the case. It is the responsibility of the government to identify criminal elements attempting to disrupt the protest through looting and other unlawful behaviours and to protect those genuinely exercising their democratic rights.
“Nigeria must embrace all tenets of democracy, including the right to protest, without selective adherence. I also appreciate his condemnation of the ethnic bigotry being propagated by some individuals against other ethnic groups. However, I had hoped for more decisive action, such as the immediate arrest and prosecution of those responsible, to demonstrate that such intolerance will not be tolerated in today’s Nigeria.
“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. 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. I respectfully reiterate that the President should declare a war on insecurity, the economy, poverty, unemployment, and the power sector.
“Persistent issues of corruption and mismanagement of public funds must be addressed decisively. As is done in other nations during such times, regular briefings, whether quarterly or biannually, from the President are essential to clearly communicate the visible and verifiable measures being taken to revive the nation from its current state of hopelessness, restore hope, and rebuild trust in our country.
” I also humbly request that the President reduce the repetition of how dire the situation is; every Nigerian is already aware of the extent of the problems. Mr. President, you and your team were elected not just to witness the protests but to alleviate the suffering of the people.
“Nigerians do not expect the President to solve the nation’s problems overnight, but we do expect a concerted effort to address the mismanagement of public resources, reduce the high cost of governance, and tackle issues like insecurity, corruption, electricity, agriculture, and productivity to set the country on a path to recovery and growth. By doing so, the President can restore hope and rekindle the people’s faith in our dear country Nigeria.”
