- PDP, Okupe, Ezekwesili, others differ on presidential broadcast
Adamawa State Governor Ahmadu Fintiri, former presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) Dumebi Kachikwu and Caretaker Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Tony Okocha yesterday urged Nigerians to give President Bola Ahmed Tinubu more time to implement his reforms aimed at revitalizing the economy.
They hailed the president’s speech to the nation, following the protests in some states against the economic crisis.
But the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), former Labour Party (LP) chieftain Dr. Doyin Okupe and former Minister of Education Dr. Oby Ezekwesili disagreed that President Tinubu’s address addressed the demand of the protesters.
Tinubu a listening leader, says Fintiri
Urging the protesters to end the action, Fintiri said President Tinubu is a listening leader who understood the feelings of the protesters, adding that he would address their grievances.
The governor, who made a broadcast to the people of the state, enjoined them to sustain the peace that had characterised the protest, assuring that the president would act in good time to assuage their suffering.
He said: “We shall work with you to make sure that the demands are attended to. The president is a listening leader.”
Reiterating his gratitude to the people for their orderly conduct in the four days of the protest, Fintiri said he was proud of them.
He said “there is so much we can achieve in an atmosphere of peace than we can in that of rancour and chaos.”
The governor however, urged President Tinubu to fulfil his pledge to address the issues that agitated Nigerians.
He said the demands of the protesters are clear and genuine, stressing that they deserve the attention of the Federal Government.
Okocha: President’s speech comprehensive
Hailing the president’s speech, Okocha, who spoke in Port-Harcourt, Rivers State capital, said the address was thorough and comprehensive, adding that he highlighted the novel policies he has undertaken for rebuilding the economy.
Noting that Nigeria is passing through challenging times, Okocha expressed optimism that the government will tackle them and reposition the country.
He said “The President’s broadcast this morning (yesterday) was thorough and comprehensive. It showed a man who came prepared to preside over the affairs of Nigeria.
“We all can agree that prior to President Ahmed Tinubu’s adminsitration, Nigeria was in a doldrums, and President Tinubu has initiated policies and programmes, and several other meaningful activities, geared towards taking the country away from the dungeons to our eldoraldo.”
‘Don’t instigate violence against Tinubu’
Kachikwu warned the opposition against instigating violence in the country, added that they should allow President Tinubu to deliver on its mandate.
He urged the opposition to proffer solutions to the problems of the country rather than making scathing comments.
Kachikwu urged those against the government to allow the 2027 poll to determine the fate of the administration.
He advised protesters to halt their action and the destruction of public facilities.
Kachikwu said in a statement in Abuja: “What of those who lost elections, but like President Trump they won’t accept the result and move on? This is not a progressive attitude. We can’t burn down our country over elections that have been won and lost.
“The job of the opposition now is to oppose and propose, but what we are doing is only opposing without providing any solutions to our problems. Watch any advanced democracy and see how the opposition behaves. They have their stand and solution on all issues, and they will debate you night and day but here all we want to do is abuse Tinubu without offering any concrete solutions. This is not leadership.
“Nigerians lost a golden opportunity by not insisting on credible debates. Joe Biden has pulled out of the race because a single debate spotlighted his deficiencies, but here in Nigeria, we don’t care.
“We protested SARS arresting the so-called Yahoo boys and our youths on trumped up charges. Who are we deceiving? For how long would we keep on being mediocre about our civic duties?
“If you hate Tinubu so much, then, pressure the National Assembly to remove him or wait till the next elections. But heating up the body polity for the last one year and attempting to remove a democratically elected government through the back door is no different from a coup.”
Kachikwu urged the protesters to give peace a chance instead of engaging in mass looting and destruction of public utilities.
He added: “We can’t continue killing ourselves. Our streets flow with the blood of the innocent. Over 19 killed in this scam of a protest, all for what? No child of any politician or big man was killed. Just the poor, average Nigerian.
“Only their family members will cry and mourn for them quietly while those who have made billions from this scam laugh to the bank.”
Tinubu hasn’t disappointed Nigerians – Okupe
Okupe, a former presidential spokesman, said President Tinubu has not disappointed Nigerians in his address to the nation.
The former Director-General of the Labour Party (LP) Presidential Campaign Council, advised the protesters to end the protest.
Speaking with reporters in Lagos, he said: “President Bola Tinubu’s speech has not disappointed Nigerians in that for the first time, the president clearly stated the daunting economic situation his administration met on ground at inception.
“He also amplified the strenuous efforts made by his government to reduce the prevailing crippling and stagnating debt servicing ratio from 97 per cent of earned revenue to 68 per cent.
“In truth, this has been the major cause of our present economic woes and sufferings.
“It is now self-evident that if the fuel subsidy was not removed, it would have been impossible for the government to function.
“And the government will not be able to meet its obligations, without continuing the profligacy of massive and sustained borrowing to fund the subsequent national budgets.”
Okupe noted that the speech highlighted the achievements already accomplished by the administration in 14 months.
He said: “Some of the most outstanding achievements of this administration, as contained in the speech, include “the more than doubling of the minimum wage from N30,000 to N70,000 per month.’’
Okupe hailed the allocation of more than N45 billion to the students loan scheme and the raising of the national oil production capacity to more than 1.6 million barrels per day.
Okupe also highlighted the massive funding of the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), which are the engine of economic growth of any country.
He said: “It is also worthy to note from the speech the government’s commitment to reduce the prevailing high cost of living and also bring down the food inflation.
“This is through the temporary massive importation of foods and removal of tariffs and other import duties on foods, drugs and medical supplies, amongst others, for the next six months.
“I personally believe that this administration’s scorecard or performance compares very well if not better than those of many administrations before it.”
He said that the increased amount of funds that Tinubu’s administration had directly made available to the states and local governments must make Nigerians to look beyond the Federal Government.
Okupe said that Nigerians must make the sub-nationalities to be more accountable for the huge sum of revenue inflow they receive from the Federation Account and other Federal Government intervention funds.
He said: “It is pertinent that we recognise that the Federal Government revenue is shared with 49 per cent going to the Federal Government while approximately 48 per cent goes to the states and local governments leaving some three per cent for ecological funds and derivation.”
Tinubu never addressed issues, says Atiku
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar said President Tinubu did not address the issues that led to the protest.
A statement by his Media Office and by Paul Ibe said: “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.”
He added: “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.”
PDP: President should meet protesters’ demands
PDP Publicity Secretary Debo Ologunagba said in a statement in Abuja that the president’s speech can only be meaningful, if the demands of the protesters are met.
He said: “Mr. President’s speech failed to respond to the demand by the citizens for immediate measures to reduce the price of petroleum products, halt the fall of the Naira and urgent intervention in the provision of food items to starving Nigerians.
“It is equally shocking that the speech did not order an investigation into the brutal killing of unarmed Nigerians by certain unscrupulous operatives of the APC-controlled security agencies while demanding for good governance, protection, security and welfare, which are the primary purpose of government.”
Speech failed to connect, says Ezekwesili
Ezekwesili said President’s speech was underwhelming.
In an X post, she said the president missed the opportunity to placate Nigerians with sound answers and outline of convincing evidence-based actions.
The former minister said that the speech failed to connect to what the protesters were protesting about, adding that it was written out of a mindset that was focused on “getting back at our enemies”.
She wrote: “@officialABAT, As one of the millions of Nigerians who were at church when you delivered your late-in-coming speech to Citizens on the #EndBadGovernancelnNigeria protests, let me loudly say it was terribly underwhelming to read.”
