A day after President Bola Tinubu addressed the nation in response to the #EndBadGovernance protests, Peter Obi criticized the Commander-in-Chief, stating that the nationwide broadcast does not reflect the harsh realities faced by Nigerians.
Following several days of protests, President Tinubu urged demonstrators to leave the streets, assuring them that his administration was working to address Nigeria’s challenges.
However, Obi, the Labour Party (LP) presidential candidate in the 2023 election, argued that President Tinubu’s speech failed to address the core demands that fueled the nationwide hunger protests.
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“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,” he said in a Monday post on X.
“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.”
The former Anambra State governor urged President Tinubu to involve the public in his administration’s economic development plans.
Obi suggested that one way to achieve this is by holding “regular briefings, whether quarterly or biannually,” as is done in other countries facing challenges similar to Nigeria’s.
However, he commended Tinubu for “finally addressing the people, albeit belatedly,” noting that this might have prevented the unnecessary loss of innocent lives, including those of security agents.
