Protest: ‘Your Speech Missed The Mark, Failed To Convince Nigerians’

The 2023 presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, has criticized President Bola Tinubu over his speech delivered on Sunday in response to the #EndBadGovernance protest by Nigerians.

Atiku said the speech by President Tinubu failed to convince Nigerians or address the demands of the protesters.

The former Vice President said the President’s speech lacked substance and failed to ignite the faith of Nigerians in his reform activities which has caused economic hardship in the country.

Atiku, in his statement on Sunday, made available to Naija News by his media adviser, Paul Ibe, said Tinubu’s speech failed on all fronts, including getting leaked prematurely, which is another sign of the dwindling confidence in his administration.

The PDP chieftain added that the present economic hardship is the sole responsibility of the current administration, and the government needs to start providing solutions instead of blaming past governments and those in the opposition parties.

The full statement by Atiku reads: “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 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.

“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.”