…..Calls on protesters to end protest , embrace dialogue
…….”Broadcast empty, didnt address protesters’ demands, killings, PDP, Atiku, Fintiri, Soyinka, Ozokhome, Ezekwesili others knock Tinubu
……….Police confirm 7 died, 681 arrested
BY MYKE UZENDU, SUNDAY AYAMI, AND FRANCIS NANSAK, LAFIA
Reactions have continued to trail Sunday’s presidential broadcast over the ongoing nationwide #EndBadGovernance protest, which has entered into day 5 today
President Bola Tinubu had in his nationwide protest appealed
to the protesting youths to call off their action and embrace dialogue.
This is even as the president, who noted that he has heard the complaints of Nigerians about the lingering economic difficulties they currently face, denounced the killings looting and destruction of both government and private properties that characterised the protest in some states
The president who also blamed the protest on those he described as having a clear political agenda to tear Nigeria down, said government would not stand by and allow such people have their way.
Tinubu expressed sorrow at the human and material losses that the protest have triggered, especially in Borno, Kano Kaduna Jigawa Niger and Kebbi states
where several deaths were recorded in the first two days of the protest
The president further noted that the high level destruction of public property that characterized the protest has set the country back as scarce resources will be used to restore the vandalized public facilities.
He stressed that the decisions he took, which brought about the economic difficulties, were “necessary if we must reverse the decades of economic mismanagement that didn’t serve us well.”
He said “I speak to you today with a heavy heart and a sense of responsibility, aware of the turmoil and violent protests unleashed in some of our states.
“I understand the pain and frustration that drive these protests, and I want to assure you that our government is committed to listening and addressing the concerns of our citizens.
“Notably among the protesters were young Nigerians who desired a better and more progressive country where their dreams, hopes and personal aspirations would be fulfilled.
“I am especially pained by the loss of lives in Borno, Jigawa, Kano, Kaduna and other states, the destruction of public facilities in some states, and the wanton looting of supermarkets and shops, contrary to the promise of protest organisers that the protest would be peaceful across the country.
“The destruction of properties sets us back as a nation, as scarce resources will be again used to restore them.
“I commiserate with the families and relations of those who have died in the protests. We must stop further bloodshed, violence and destruction.
“As President of this country, I must ensure public order.
“In line with my constitutional oath to protect the lives and property of every citizen, our government will not stand idly by and allow a few with a clear political agenda to tear this nation apart.
“Under the circumstances, I hereby enjoin protesters and the organisers to suspend any further protest and create room for dialogue, which I have always acceded to at the slightest opportunity.
“Nigeria requires all hands on deck and needs us all, regardless of age, party, tribe, religion or other divides, to work together in reshaping our destiny as a nation.
“Yes, I agree, the buck stops on my table. But I can assure you that I am focused fully on delivering governance to the people – good governance for that matter,” he said, enumerating the various measures his administration is taking to improve the living standard of Nigerians.
“Our democracy progresses when the constitutional rights of every Nigerian are respected and protected. Our law enforcement agencies should continue to ensure the full protection of lives and properties of innocent citizens in a responsible manner.
“My vision for our country is one of a just and prosperous nation where each person may enjoy the peace, freedom and meaningful livelihood that only democratic good governance can provide – one that is open, transparent and accountable to the Nigerian people.
“For decades, our economy has remained anaemic and taken a dip because of many misalignments that have stunted our growth.
“Just over a year ago, our dear country, Nigeria, reached a point where we couldn’t afford to continue the use of temporary solutions to solve long-term problems for the sake of now and our unborn generations.
“I therefore took the painful yet necessary decision to remove fuel subsidies and abolish multiple foreign exchange systems which had constituted a noose around the economic jugular of our nation and impeded our economic development and progress.
“These actions blocked the greed and the profits that smugglers and rent-seekers made. They also blocked the undue subsidies we had extended to our neighbouring countries to the detriment of our people, rendering our economy prostrate.
“These decisions I made were necessary if we must reverse the decades of economic mismanagement that didn’t serve us well”
But several Nigerians have who listened to the presidents address have emphasized that president Tinubu had tactically avoided talking on the major demands of the protesters which included the return of the fuel subsidy, cut on governance, reduction of the over bloated government officials, addressing the high cost of food and many others.
They argued that the broadcast did not give the protesters and hope to retreat.
This is even as protesters ignored his call to end agitations in some state as protest resumed in Dawakin Tofa and other local government areas in Kano state moments after the presidents broad ast on Sunday
The People’s Democratic Party (PDP), while dismissing the national broadcast by President Bola Tinubu described it as diversionary and insensitive to the plight of Nigeria’s majority.
National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Hon. Debo Ologunagba, who said this in a statement, in Abuja, on Sunday, explained that the president failed to address the real issues bothering Nigerians which is the high cost of living especially the rising cost of food items and the volatility of the local currency against major currencies which has made planning almost impossible.
Ologunagba said, “PDP asserts that the speech by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu over the on-going protests in the country clearly confirms the All Progressives Congress (APC) administration’s insensitivity towards Nigerians and the very precarious situation in the country.
“Our Party is appalled that despite the fact that it took President Tinubu the prodding of the PDP to speak to the nation, it is distressing that the speech failed to offer any concrete measure to address the excruciating hardship in the country.
“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.
“Such only reinforces public apprehension that the APC administration is uncaring and impervious to the suffering and pains of millions of Nigerians, particularly the youths whose dreams, hope and aspiration are being dashed by the APC.
“It is clear that the APC administration is overwhelmed and has no answers to the myriads of problems occasioned by its anti-people policies that are suffocating life in the country.
“Our Party calls on President Tinubu to come to terms with the fact that the nation is in dire straits under his watch. He should address the demands of the people particularly to reduce the cost of petroleum products, stabilize the Naira and take immediate steps towards the provision of food items to Nigerians.
“President Tinubu should cut the size of governance, expenditure on luxury items and free more resources for immediate intervention towards the wellbeing of Nigerians.”
Similarly, Presidential candidate of the PDP in the 2023 elections, Atiku Abubakar, said President Tinubu’s broadcast to the nation on Sunday was a hollow speech devoid of solutions to the hardship facing Nigerians.
Atiku in a statement by his Media Adviser, Paul Ibe, in Abuja, said the broadcast intended to quell the fervour of public protests against his administration’s poor governance, utterly missed the mark.
He said, “His (Tinubu’s) 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.
“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.
Joining the opposition political parties in condemning the address, Nobel laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka, faulted President Bola Tinubu’s national broadcast for not addressing the violent crackdown by security forces on #EndBadGovernance protesters.
Soyinka, in a statement expressed concern over the president’s omission of this critical issue.
He said: “I set my alarm clock for this morning to ensure that I did not miss President Bola Tinubu’s impatiently awaited address to the nation on the current unrest across the nation.
“His outline of government’s remedial action since inception, aimed at warding off just such an outbreak, will undoubtedly receive expert and sustained attention both for effectiveness and in content analysis.
“My primary concern, quite predictably, is the continuing deterioration of the state’s seizure of protest management, an area in which the presidential address fell conspicuously short.
“Such short-changing of civic deserving, regrettably, goes to arm the security forces in the exercise of impunity and condemns the nation to a seemingly unbreakable cycle of resentment and reprisals.
“Live bullets as state response to civic protest – that becomes the core issue. Even tear gas remains questionable in most circumstances, certainly an abuse in situations of clearly peaceful protest.
“Hunger marches constitute a universal S.O.S, not peculiar to the Nigerian nation. They belong indeed in a class of their own, never mind the collateral claims emblazoned on posters.
“They serve as summons to governance that a breaking point has been reached and thus, a testing ground for governance awareness of public desperation. The tragic response to the ongoing hunger marches in parts of the nation, and for which notice was served, constitutes a retrogression that takes the nation even further back than the deadly culmination of the watershed ENDSARS protests.
“It evokes pre-independence – that is, colonial – acts of disdain, a passage that induced the late stage pioneer Hubert Ogunde’s folk opera BREAD AND BULLETS, earning that nationalist serial persecution and proscription by the colonial government.
“The nation’s security agencies cannot pretend unawareness of alternative models for emulation, civilized advances in security intervention.
“Need we recall the nationwide 2022/23 editions of what is generally known as the YELLOW VEST movement in France? Perhaps it is time to make such scenarios compulsory viewing in policing curriculum. In all of the coverage that I watched, I did not catch one single instance of a gun leveled at protesters, much less fired at them even during direct physical confrontations.
“The serving of bullets where bread is pleaded is ominous retrogression, and we know what that eventually proves – a prelude to far more desperate upheavals, not excluding revolutions.”
Governor Ahmadu Fintiri of Adamawa State challenged President Bola Tinubu to act fast in addressing the grievances of Nigerians.
The governor in a statewide broadcast Sunday afternoon, stressed that it is not enough for the President to tell Nigerians that he has heard their cries., adding that Nigerians should not wait endlessly for necessary actions.
He said, “The protest might be unpopular especially because of the way it was carried out in some states, but the message is clear and the demands are genuine. None of us can deny that there is hunger and general poverty.”
He added that as leaders of the people, those in government must, at all times, not only listen but also act.
“The lesson we must derive from the protest is the constant reminder that it is not enough to tell the citizens we have heard. We must be seen as doing the needful in providing solutions to citizens’ concerns,” the governor said.
Also former Minister of Education, Oby Ezekwesili, says President Bola Tinubu’s speech did not address the demands of the #EndBadGovernance protesters.
In a post on X, Ezekwesili said the speech “reads like a page from your party manifesto”.
She said Tinubu missed an opportunity to explain the immediate actions his administration has taken to address the demands of those on the streets.
“As one of 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,” she said.
“Your speech reads like a page from your party manifesto and terribly failed to connect to what our citizens on the streets are angry and protesting about.
“Your speech is quite a monumental missed opportunity to placate citizens with sound answers and outline of convincing evidence-based actions that you and your @NigeriaGov will immediately take to address the priority #BadGovernance concerns.”
She asked Tinubu to accept the responsibility that comes with his position rather than trade blames with some “imaginary enemies”.
“Your speech was sadly again written out of a mindset that is focused on ‘getting back at our enemies’. Imaginary enemies at that! No true Leader has the luxury of having ‘enemies’ among their citizens. Not at all,” she said.
Ezekwesili who asked the president to call the security forces to order over the attack on protesters, also urged president Tinubu to order an investigation into the killing of protesters by security agents, fish out and punish those found guilty to serve as deter
But a former Nasarawa State Secretary to the Government and Chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief Timothy Anjide, has commended President Bola Tinubu for addressing the nation over the ongoing hunger protest.
The former SSG in a statement made available to journalists averred that through the speech, president Tinubu has been able to take the angry young people out of the streets.
He pointed out that the speech was direct, appealing, convincing and in line with the Renewed Hope agenda for Nigeria.
“He may not have heat the nail on the head eas is expected by the agitators demands, but it assures that the issues would be ameliorated as implementation of the policy directions unfold.
“A note of advice to the Presidential aides and handlers, and public office holders. Please steer our national discourse along the content and direction of his speech in simple, humble and factual style, instead of the gaffes and usual stray dart throwing on issues that rather generate mistrust and anger from the active population of the country,” the statement reads.
In his reaction, Human rights lawyer and Senior Advocate of Nigeria ( SAN) Prof. Mike Ozekhome praised President Tinubu for his maturity and achievements so far made, but said the speech lacked any concrete answers to the itemized demands of the aggrieved youths.
His words, ” I have carefully listened to and read President Tinub’s national broadcast as regards the ongoing mass national protests. Wth all respect, the President’s speech appears vacuous,drudgery and full of a litany of government’s alleged interventions,but being completely devoid of any concrete answers to the many itemized demands by the traumatised youthful protesters.
” Aside this, he erroneously,as always, picked on imaginary opposition or political opponents who allegedly want to derail Nigeria. No sir. These are not sponsored protests. They are genuine outpouring of grief,frustration, anger, hunger,melancholy, hopelessness, haplessness and joblessness by the ignored and denied Nigerian youths who appear not to have a tomorrow even after their yesterday and today have already been mindlessly stolen by rapacious elites and state captors who control the levers of power all different levels of government.
“The rage is not about a mirage or mere supposition; the blind can see; the lame can walk; the numb can feel: and the deaf can hear the grinding poverty and abject penury ravaging the land.
” However, in terms of decency of language and and an apparent exhibition of understanding of the litany of problems besetting Nigeria and the empathy required by a president to address the urgent demands, President Tinubu appears to get it right. He was not abusive, arrogant or grandstanding with the usual rulers’ narcissism and brickmanship, factors that exercabated the recent Kenya protests and uprising. He looked apparently sober and pensive while addressing beleaguered Nigerians as “my fellow Nigerians”.
“Thus far, thus above average.However, in terms of measurable panacea and solutions to balm open wounds,assuage bruised egos and dashed hopes,or placate angry and protesting Nigerians who are daily suffering and groaning in the midst of government inertia,wastes, big government, big spending, opulent and primitive display of vulgar wealth by government officials,endless borrowing, white elephant projects, yacht, plane, SUVs, endless trips abroad, yawning leakages and official corruption, both apparent,real,visible and palpable,he scores miserably low. What will the youth take home after days of rage, tens of deaths, injuries, mental,physical, psychological and psychical lacerations and trauma, hunger, self-denial, brutality and high-handedness by state security agencies,I do not know. Or do you?
“The government must stop blame game and like I advised serially this year ,go back to the drawing board and dare think without the box,not merely outside the box.Blaming the Muhammadu Buhari government of which this same APC government is but a mere offshoot and successor is most illogical, indecent and inelegant.It insults our collective intelligence.It is like cutting one’s nose to spite his face; and ( please,permit the obscenity or vulgarity ), it amounts to dipping one’s finger in one’s anus and smelling it.
” You will not expect to perceive Christian Dior, Gucci, Armani,Hugo,Versace or Chanel fragrances.It insults our collective intelligence.President Tinubu still has a chance to save Nigeria of what remains of a groggy, tottering, fumbling,dwindling and near crumbling country the verge of imminent precipice. All hope is still not lost if he employs and deploys the right instruments of statecraft.”, he concluded
Also reacting, a politician and former governorship aspirant in Kaduna state, Barr Joshua Ephraim, said the contents of the speech was an indication that Tinubu was not aware of the current suffering and hardship in the country.
Said he “that speech is baa la blue baloney. Low spirited, tired, worn.
Out of touch. Tone deaf. Ineffectual. It sounded like something prepared for his one year anniversary.
“A hurriedly written jumbled rigmarole after the Oro and other janjaweed tactics failed
“He didn’t bother to appease the protesters. He didn’t make a single policy change. He didn’t bring any thing to the table.
My guess is that Tinubu did it to fulfill all righteousness for foreign observers. He still trusts in the willy and coarse hands of his agents who believe the protesters are either hired hands of vindictive political opponents and sore losers or idle folks seeking gratuitous political mischief.
“In between the lines of drudgery, it’s obvious he has confidence in his goons to muzzle and suppress protests.
“Nothing in that speech indicated that he watched the happenings of the past week with pain and empathy
“He talked about bigotry and division, yet he is still harboring the motormouth bigot called Onanuga as a presidential adviser
“He talked about the right to protest yet he is keeping Wike, who said protesters were banned in Abuja and referred to them as armed robbers.
“The president isn’t t just arrogant, he is utterly disdainful of the protests and protesters. His speech reveals that he considers them nothing better than inauspicious nuisance
“He churned out too many half truths and ignored hard truths
“The trumpeted increase in national revenue has favoured the president and his cronies in power. He has a new presidential jet bought with hundreds of billions. But the quality of life of poor families saddled with unbearable food prices has become wretched.
“Tinubu beats his chest about a new minimum wage. Tinubu’s new minimum has less purchasing power than the old minimum wages of Buhari, Jonathan and Obasanjo.
“Tinubu’s party has been in power for 9 years. But Tinubu, who for the last ten years appropriated for himself the title of leader of that party now wants deny to actual responsibility.
“The speech was a piece of pretty nonsense. Full of regurgitated and nauseating fluff. Bereft of conviction and repentance.
“He will continue his overseas medical tourism.He will keep his bloated and wasteful cabinet
“He will remain incapable of finding Yahaya Bello and prosecuting Betta Edu
“He will retain his inclination to awalokanism in making choice appointments
“Fuel prices will keep rising because the naira is hopelessly weak against the dollar. The government has opened the gates for the now importation of basic food. For me, I will say the president is sleepwalking. His men are grandstanding.
“The distribution of freebies has failed. Haphazard policies have left hopelessness. The co option of traditional and religious rulers for political fire brigade failed. The failure to conceive a vision and pursue it with honesty has left the people frustrated.
“The country needs a bold new direction. The country needs a Political class whose attitude, lifestyle and policies will speak purposefulness.
“Tinubu and his governors are running on Business As Usual mode. They dont get it. This tired speech will only confirm the fears and doubts of the protesters
“Our leaders are truly aloof and the protesters are talking to the deaf. Somebody should wake the president up
“The youths are at a different townhall and this Bala blue speech will only infuriate them”, he stated
Mrs Tosin Okundayo, an Abuja based public servant had this to say,
” President Tinubu knows the game he is playing but Nigerians are more resolute than ever.How can he ensure that the refineries will work when he blends Nigerian crude oil in Malta and comes back to sell it at exorbitant prices.Didn’t you hear the Governor of Gombe state saying he hasn’t received any trucks of rice from FG??Nigerians are still on the streets tomorrow ALUTA CONTINUA!!! VICTORIA ACCETUAA!!!! He is just texting the waters but doesn’t know Water don pass Garri. He will soon make another one in few more days since he doesn’t want to learn from William Ruto???Can’t you see that opinion leaders are quiet because there are hungry too??The money spent to shelve protests couldn’t go round.Who is fooling who in naija? Even the blind can see,the rich is also crying
Also contributing, Mr Nnajike Okorie, a Security consultant said he lost hope of a better Nigeria after listening to the speech
“I lost the little hope I have for Nigeria after listening to the clueless president of Nigeria, he didn’t even know that repairing the three refineries will help the situation, he didn’t even know that cutting down the cost of governance will help the situation, he didn’t even know that fighting the insecurity that has prevented farmers from going to the farm will help the situation, for those who think that president tinumbu is not clueless, please what is more important to Nigerians the coastal road from Lagos to Calabar or the funtioning of the refineries who the workers who are not doing anything receives their salary before anyone in the country” Nnaokorie said