ENUGU, Nigeria (VOICE OF NAIJA)- Peter Obi, former Governor of Anambra State and a leading opposition figure, has criticized President Bola Tinubu for failing to address the critical issues facing Nigerians.
Obi in response to Tinubu’s recent address, highlighted the president’s lack of engagement with the hardships experienced by the populace and emphasized the need to address corruption and mismanagement of public funds.
In his X handle on Tuesday, Obi highlighted the importance of addressing the exorbitant cost of governance, tackling corruption, and directing resources towards critical areas like health, education, and poverty alleviation. He stressed that persistent issues of corruption and mismanagement of public funds must be tackled decisively.
He said, “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.
“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.
“At this point, I strongly advise the President to distance himself from sycophants and surround himself with individuals who will present the unvarnished truth.
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“Persistent issues of corruption and mismanagement of public funds must be addressed decisively. As is done in other nations during such times, regular briefings, whether quarterly or biannually, from the President are essential to clearly communicate the visible and verifiable measures being taken to revive the nation from its current state of hopelessness, restore hope, and rebuild trust in our country.
“I also humbly request that the President reduce the repetition of how dire the situation is; every Nigerian is already aware of the extent of the problems. Mr President, you and your team were elected not just to witness the protests but to alleviate the suffering of the people.”
Obi noted that the President’s delayed address to the nation was insufficient in addressing the ongoing crises, particularly the loss of lives and the injury of protestors during the #EndSARS protests.
He expressed disappointment that Tinubu did not show empathy towards those injured, arrested, and detained due to the actions of some security operatives.
“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,” Obi stated.
He criticized Tinubu’s advisers, suggesting they were either unaware of or chose to ignore the scale of anger, hunger, and hardship in the country. Obi called on the President to distance himself from sycophants and to surround himself with advisers who would provide honest assessments.
“Regular briefings from the President, whether quarterly or biannually, are essential to communicate the visible and verifiable measures being taken to revive the nation from its current state of hopelessness, restore hope, and rebuild trust in our country,” Obi said.
Obi urged President Tinubu to take immediate action on pressing issues such as insecurity, the economy, poverty, unemployment, and the power sector. He emphasized that while Nigerians do not expect overnight solutions, they do expect a concerted effort to address these challenges and set the country on a path to recovery and growth.
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“Nigerians do not expect the President to solve the nation’s problems overnight, but we do expect a concerted effort to address the mismanagement of public resources, reduce the high cost of governance, and tackle issues like insecurity, corruption, electricity, agriculture, and productivity,” Obi added.
He concluded by expressing his belief in the potential for a new Nigeria, urging the President to take decisive actions to restore hope and faith in the country.