Hunger protest: Tinubu’s address disconnected from people’s realities

The 2023 presidential candidate for the Labour Party, Peter Obi, has lamented the failure of the Federal Government to address the demands which fuelled the nationwide hunger protests, tagged #EndBadGovernanceInNigeria.

Obi stated this in a series of tweets on Monday, urging President Bola Tinubu to “distance himself from sycophants and surround himself with individuals who will present the unvarnished truth.”

There have been protests countrywide, calling on the FG to tackle issues ranging from the exorbitant cost of governance to corruption, the high cost of living in the country, fuel subsidies, among others.

The president had, in a national broadcast on Sunday, called for dialogue and an immediate end to the nationwide protests that have rocked the nation since Thursday.

He said his administration is ready to listen to and address the concerns of protesters, affirming that he has heard their calls “loud and clear.”

But protesters have continued their demonstrations in major cities, including Lagos, Abuja and Kaduna.

However, Obi noted that Tinubu’s address “regrettably appeared disconnected from the harsh realities faced by the people and failed to address critical issues that initially triggered the protest. 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.”

Obi advised that for the president to carry the people along with his administration’s economic development plans, he should hold “regular briefings, whether quarterly or biannually” as it’s done in other climes facing such challenges as Nigeria’s.

While the former Anambra State Governor commended the president for “finally addressing the people, albeit belatedly, which might have prevented the unnecessary loss of innocent lives, including those of our security agents,” Obi said the citizens don’t expect him (Tinubu) to solve the nation’s problems overnight.

He said, however, Tinubu’s expected to “address the mismanagement of public resources, reduce the high cost of governance, and tackle issues like insecurity,” among others.

Obi also urged the government to “identify criminal elements attempting to disrupt the protest through looting and other unlawful behaviours and to protect those genuinely exercising their democratic rights.”

In his tweets, the LP chieftain added that he deliberately delayed his response to the president’s speech “as I felt it could have been perceived as another attempt by Peter Obi to sway public opinion, especially since I was initially accused of sponsoring the protest.”