In a scathing critique, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has lambasted President Bola Tinubu’s New Year speech, denouncing it as “empty and uninspiring.” The opposition party, through its National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, issued a statement on January 1, 2024, asserting that the President’s address failed to address critical issues plaguing Nigeria, branding it a waste of the nation’s time.
The PDP’s statement highlighted the disappointment felt by Nigerians as they witnessed what they perceived as a lack of substance in President Tinubu’s rhetoric. Ologunagba expressed the party’s dissatisfaction, stating, “Nigerians were dismayed as President Tinubu employed rhetoric and failed to address the critical issues of insecurity, decayed infrastructure, comatose manufacturing, and productive sectors; crushing 28% inflation rate, continuing plunge of the naira, alarming unemployment, excruciating poverty and economic hardship occasioned by the reckless, ill-advised and insensitive policies and programmes of his administration.”
The PDP’s critique extended to President Tinubu’s assertion that every decision made since assuming office in May 2023 was in the interest of the country. Ologunagba deemed this claim an “unpardonable assault on the sensibility of Nigerians,” arguing that the President’s actions contradicted his words.
Contrary to the President’s assertions, Ologunagba pointed out what the PDP perceives as detrimental decisions by the Tinubu administration. These decisions include the approval of a significant increase in the pump price of fuel from N167 to over N700 per liter, the devaluation of the naira resulting in high costs and hardship, the skewing of the 2024 budget in favor of luxury desires of the Presidency and APC leaders without concrete economic revival policies, wasteful foreign trips with political cronies, and the failure to address widespread killings across the nation.
Ologunagba declared, “The wasteful foreign trips with political cronies and failure to address the mindless killings across the nation cannot be said to be in the interest of our country.”
The PDP spokesperson contended that these decisions only contributed to the alleged hardships experienced by Nigerians, emphasizing that President Tinubu missed an opportunity in his New Year speech to apologize and outline concrete steps to address the nation’s challenges.
“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,” Ologunagba insisted.
In a call to action, the PDP urged the National Assembly to fulfill its constitutional role of oversight to hold the Executive Arm accountable, particularly in matters concerning the nation’s finances. Ologunagba emphasized the need for transparency and accountability, urging President Tinubu to provide a comprehensive account of the nation’s earnings, especially in the face of allegations that funds generated from the removal of subsidies on petroleum products are being diverted to the private coffers of APC leaders and their associates.
As the political landscape heats up with these accusations and counter-accusations, the PDP’s condemnation serves as a rallying cry for accountability and transparency in governance, setting the stage for potential legislative scrutiny and public discourse.
