Peter Obi Claims Tinubu’s Broadcast Ignores Core Issues Driving Protests

Peter Obi Claims Tinubu’s Broadcast Ignores Core Issues Driving Protests

A day after President Bola Tinubu addressed the nation in the wake of the #EndBadGovernance protests, Peter Obi has criticised the Commander-in-Chief, saying the nationwide broadcast does not reflect the harsh realities faced by Nigerians.

Days after the protests broke out, President Tinubu addressed the nation. He asked the protesters to leave the streets, assuring them that his government was working on fixing Nigeria’s challenges. But Obi, the presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP) for the 2023 presidential election, said President Tinubu’s broadcast failed to address the demands that fuelled the nationwide hunger protests.

“The President’s address regrettably appeared disconnected from the harsh realities faced by the people and failed to address critical issues that initially triggered the protest,” he said in a Monday post on X.

“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.”

My Response to the President’s Address – Obi

Having led the call for the President to address the nation and respond to the demands of the people, and having listened to the belated speech, I needed to delay my response to see if my understanding of the address was aligned with

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— Peter Obi (@PeterObi) August 5, 2024

The former Anambra State governor asked the President to carry the people along with his administration’s economic development plans.

One of the ways to do this, Obi said, is for Tinubu to hold “regular briefings, whether quarterly or biannually” as it is done in other climes facing such challenges as Nigeria’s.

But he commended Tinubu for “finally addressing the people, albeit belatedly, which might have prevented the unnecessary loss of innocent lives, including those of our security agents”.