- PDP Says Message Empty, Lacked Empathy
- LP Describes Speech As ‘Display Of Despicable Deceit ‘
The New Year’s message by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has continued to generate reactions with the major opposition parties, the Peoples Democratic Party and the third-force, the Labour Party describing the speech as one that is full of deceit, lacking empathy and empty.
The Matrix reports that President Tinubu in his New Year’s address to Nigerians had encouraged Nigerians to stay united and support his administration as it works to build a better nation and a Nigerian society that cares for all citizens.
The President urged Nigerians not to falter despite the tough times and difficulties they face saying tough times don’t last.
He acknowledged the biting effects of the rising cost of living, high inflation which is now above 28% and the unacceptable high under-employment rate, he however promised that his administration will do all it can to ameliorate the suffering of Nigerians.
“Dear Compatriots, take this from me: the time may be rough and tough; however, our spirit must remain unbowed because tough times never last. We are made for this period, never to flinch, never to falter,” President Tinubu said.
Continuing, he said, “The socio-economic challenges of today should energize and rekindle our love and faith in the promise of Nigeria. Our current circumstances should make us resolve to work better for the good of our beloved nation.
“Our situation should make us resolve that this new year 2024, each and every one of us will commit to be better citizens.”
Reacting to the speech, the PDP slammed the president describing the speech as a “harvest of deceit, false claims and empty promises”.
The PDP National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, said Tinubu’s speech was “unpresidential, uninspiring and amounts to a waste of valuable time as it did not address any of the critical issues plaguing the nation”.
“More distressing is that President Tinubu had no words in his New Year address for the Christmas Eve genocidal massacre of over 200 Nigerians by terrorists in Plateau State and the murder of over 5000 citizens in Plateau and other States of the federation under his watch since May 29, 2023,” the statement reads.
Noting that Nigerians were “dismayed”, the PDP spokesman said the President “employed rhetoric and failed to address the critical issues of insecurity, decayed infrastructure, comatose” manufacturing and productive sectors; inflation rate, naira depreciation, unemployment and poverty” in the country.
He said Tinubu’s statement that his actions and policies are in the interest of the nation further confirmed that this administration is allegedly subjecting Nigerians to hardship as a way to suppress them to surrender to totalitarianism.
“President Tinubu ought to have used the opportunity presented by the New Year to apologize to Nigerians and marshal out steps to address our national challenges, including those responsible for the exiting of multinational manufacturing companies and other businesses from our country.
“What Nigerians demand of President Tinubu is to provide a comprehensive account of our nation’s earnings including the proceeds from the removal of subsidy on petroleum products, especially in the face of allegations that the earnings are being diverted to private pockets of APC leaders and their cronies.
“The National Assembly is invited to step up and perform its Constitutional role of oversight to hold the Executive Arm accountable as the custodian of the purse of the nation,” Ologunagba said.
Similarly, the LP said it is appalled by the hollowness of the New Year speech by President Tinubu.
According to the party, if anything, the speech conveyed to Nigerians the high level of hypocrisy, deceit, and lack of empathy that has become the guiding principle of the All-Progressives Congress, APC.
LP said it is depressing to note that the President and his handlers did not deem it fit to include a word of comfort for the families of over 200 people killed by terrorists during the Christmas Eve massacre in Plateau State.
A statement signed by Obiora Ifoh, National Publicity Secretary of LP, states: “The President’s helplessness in the face of his glaring failure to address the critical issues of insecurity, decayed infrastructure, collapse of the manufacturing and productive sectors, inflation, and the naira to the dollar exchange rate, which is spiralling out of control, is written all over the speech.
“There was no word about the alleged massive looting of the nation’s resources by appointees and party leaders in various sectors. Most disturbing for us is the President’s false claim that ‘everything I have done in office, every decision I have taken and every trip I have undertaken outside the shores of our land since I assumed office on 29 May 2023, has been done in the best interest of our country.’ What a despicable form of deceit!
“How does his ill-advised decision on fuel subsidy removal without a plan to ameliorate the suffering of Nigerians translate into an action taken in the national interest? Of what benefit were the millions of the nation’s dwindling foreign reserves frittered away under the guise of attending the climate change summit in Dubai to Nigerians?
“How do we begin to repair the damage being done to our democratic institutions, such as the judiciary, the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, among others, by the APC administration?
“While we call for prayers for our nation at this critical point in our history, we will continue to call on the National Assembly to look beyond party lines and ensure that the spirit and the letter of our Constitution is upheld at all times.”
