No hope in sight  —  PDP blasts Tinubu over his Independence Day speech

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has tackled President Bola Tinubu over his 64th Independence Day broadcast.

The opposition party said the president’s speech confirmed his administration’s perceived insensitivity to Nigerians’ plight.

In a statement signed by the party’s spokesman, Debo Ologunagba, the PDP described Tinubu’s government as “clueless, insensitive and unresponsive”, adding that the president’s speech showed no hope in sight.

“Nigerians are appalled that the President’s speech was a complete waste of time as it did not address issues or proffer any solution to the myriads of economic and security problems created by the APC government, for which Nigerians are hurting,” Ologunagba said.

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The opposition party said Tinubu failed to address Nigerians’ plight and review the “life-suffocating policies of his government.”

The party said, “It is indeed shocking that Mr. President’s speech practically trivialized the very grave issues of pervasive economic hardship, unemployment, acute poverty, widespread hunger and starvation in our country- for which Nigerians took to the streets in August this year- by claiming that about 10% of Nigerians have been plunged into hunger when confirmed reports show that over 100 million Nigerians can no longer afford their daily meals and other basic necessities of life under the APC watch.

“Equally appalling is Mr. President’s irreconcilable assurances of micro-economic improvement, lower cost of living and food sufficiency, when in reality his administration has failed to lower the price of fuel; the key driver of our nation’s economy, failed to inject resources into the productive sector to boost employment, stem the slide of the Naira and made no tangible investment in food production in any part of the country.

“The failure by Mr. President to listen to Nigeria to reduce the price of fuel, create employment and lift the value of the Naira by ending the profligacy in his government and direct resources to jumpstart our ailing productive sector shows that the APC administration is completely disconnected with Nigerians especially the youths.”

The PDP alleged that the president's speech clearly showed that the APC-led administration was determined to stifle Nigeria’s democracy, claiming that the broadcast was “silent on the erosion of credible election and constant attacks on constitutionally guaranteed rights of citizens.”