Obi slams Tinubu’s speech on hunger protests, calls for genuine response

Peter Obi, the 2023 Labour Party presidential candidate, has criticised the Federal Government’s response to the nationwide hunger protests known as #EndBadGovernanceInNigeria.

Obi expressed his disappointment in a series of tweets on Monday, asking President Bola Tinubu to “distance himself from sycophants and surround himself with people who will tell the undeniable truth.”

Protests across the country demanded action on issues such as the high cost of government, corruption, rising living costs and fuel subsidies.

In a national broadcast on Sunday, President Tinubu urged dialogue and called for an end to the protests, saying his government was ready to listen and address the concerns of the protesters. He said he had heard their calls “loud and clear.”

However, protests continue in major cities including Lagos, Abuja and Kaduna.

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Obi criticized Tinubu’s speech as “grossly out of touch with the harsh realities facing the people and failing to address the critical issues that initially sparked the protests. It reflects either a lack of awareness among his advisers regarding the scale of anger, hunger and hardship in the country, or a deliberate choice to ignore it.

“While the President’s speech focused on the past, the people care about the present and the future. He should start by discussing pressing issues such as the high cost of government, steps to tackle corruption, the high cost of living, and directing resources effectively to critical areas such as health, education and poverty alleviation.

“I respectfully reiterate that the President must declare war on insecurity, economy, poverty, unemployment and the electricity sector.”

Obi suggested that for the public to effectively engage with his administration’s economic plans, the president should hold “regular briefings, either quarterly or biennially,” as seen in other countries facing similar challenges.

While acknowledging the president’s belated speech, which Obi said had the potential to prevent further loss of life, including among security personnel, Obi stated that citizens did not expect immediate solutions to the nation’s problems.

However, he stressed that Tinubu was expected to “address mismanagement of public resources, reduce the high cost of governance, and address issues such as insecurity,” among other pressing issues.

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

In his tweet, Obi noted that he delayed his response to avoid the perception that he was trying to influence public opinion, especially since he was initially accused of sponsoring the protests.

Obi slams Tinubu’s speech on hunger protests, calls for genuine response first appeared on Latest Nigeria News | Headlines from Ripples Nigeria.