The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has faulted President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s 64th Independence Day speech, describing it as another example of “lethargic and windy rhetoric” filled with false performance claims.
In a statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, the PDP asserted that President Tinubu’s speech failed to address the numerous economic and security problems plaguing Nigeria.
The party argued that the President’s address was “scripted to delude Nigerians in the face of the abysmal failure of the All Progressives Congress (APC) administration.”
The PDP noted that President Tinubu’s speech neglected to provide solutions to the widespread economic hardship, unemployment, acute poverty, hunger, and starvation affecting millions of Nigerians.
The party expressed shock that the President downplayed the severity of these issues, claiming only 10% of Nigerians face hunger when, in reality, over 100 million struggle to afford basic necessities.
The PDP also accused the APC administration of being disconnected from Nigerian youths, citing the failure to reduce fuel prices, create employment opportunities and boost the value of the Naira
The party argued that these actions demonstrate the government’s insensitivity to the plight of its citizens.
Furthermore, the PDP warned that the APC-led administration’s silence on election erosion and constant attacks on citizens’ rights threatens Nigeria’s democracy. The party urged Nigerians to remain calm despite their disappointment and advised President Tinubu to engage with citizens directly, rather than relying on fabricated statistics.
The main opposition party said, “The failure of the speech to respond to the cries of millions of Nigerians that President Tinubu eases their suffering by reviewing life-suffocating policies of his government also validates concerns in the public space of emerging totalitarianism where certain individuals or group of individuals are benefitting from the travail of the people.
“It is indeed shocking that Mr. President’s speech practically trivialized the very grave issues of pervasive economic hardship, unemployment, acute poverty, widespread hunger and starvation in our country- for which Nigerians took to the streets in August this year- by claiming that about 10% of Nigerians have been plunged into hunger when confirmed reports show that over 100 million Nigerians can no longer afford their daily meals and other basic necessities of life under the APC watch.
“Equally appalling is Mr. President’s irreconcilable assurances of micro-economic improvement, lower cost of living and food sufficiency, when in reality his administration has failed to lower the price of fuel; the key driver of our nation’s economy, failed to inject resources into the productive sector to boost employment, stem the slide of the Naira and made no tangible investment in food production in any part of the country.
“The failure by Mr. President to listen to Nigeria to reduce the price of fuel, create employment and lift the value of the Naira by ending the profligacy in his government and direct resources to jumpstart our ailing productive sector shows that the APC administration is completely disconnected with Nigerians especially the youths.”