Civil Society Organisations, CSOs, has expressed disappointment over the speech by President Bola Tinubu to the nation to mark the 64th Independence Day celebration, insisting it failed to address life-threatening issues Nigerians are currently grappling with amidst two nationwide peaceful protests.
The Executive Director, Health of Mother Earth Foundation, HOMEF, Arc Nnimmo Bassey said the president has a lot of advisers and it is clear that he is listening to them. It is hard to add anything with the belief that one would be heard.
Arc. Bassey also said the challenge one has in interpreting his message is that we do not know what permutations he and his advisers are making.
His words: “In a space of two months, the president has made speeches that do not address the most basic demands of struggling Nigerians, but merely defends unpopular policies.
“Three of the key issues of contention include the floating of the Naira, the high cost of petroleum products even when a refinery is finally working in Nigeria, and thirdly the high electricity tariffs.
“The president could easily have said that prices of petroleum products would be markedly reduced as significant volumes of the products no longer be imported. Or is the territory on which the refinery is located no longer a part of Nigeria?”
On the proposed youth confab by President Bola Tinubu, Bassey said, “While having a conference of youths on national issues is a good idea, it is difficult to see why the conference would last a month. Who will listen to a month-long conference of the youths when ten days of protest were met with arrests and detentions?
“Why couldn’t the president have announced that charges against peaceful demonstrators would be dropped? Who will act on the outcomes of the youth conference? We wait to see the guidelines for such a conference, especially on what would be the no-go areas.”
He also queried the divestment issues the President mentioned in his speech, saying, “It is shocking to hear the president bring up the issues of ExxonMobil’s divestment in an Independence Day speech.
“The specious divestment raises serious questions about the legacy pollution oil companies have foisted on Nigeria. What we heard did not sound helpful at all. Who bears the responsibility for over six decades of extreme pollution in the Niger Delta?”
The Executive Director, Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre, CISLAC, Auwal Rafsanjani, in his reaction to Tinubu’s broadcast, said the President needs to take governance more seriously.
Rafsanjani said: “We urge the president to move beyond rhetoric and take concrete steps toward meaningful dialogue with Nigerians. Citizens are seeking immediate relief from the harsh economic and social conditions they face daily under this administration.
“People are struggling to survive, and they need to see swift and impactful measures that improve their quality of life and security.
“Nigeria’s image requires urgent restoration both nationally and internationally. We used to be a respected nation, but today, we are perceived as a hub for terrorism, corruption, and mismanagement of public resources.
“The government’s failure to effectively combat terrorism, rescue women and children from captivity, and tackle systemic corruption and impunity has eroded the respect we once held.
“The Nigerian people deserve leadership that is responsive, accountable, and capable of delivering development and prosperity.
“As we celebrate 64 years of independence, let us work together to restore our nation’s dignity, both at home and abroad.”
For the Executive Director, Africa Network for Environmental and Economic Justice, ANEEJ, Rev David Ugolor: “The President’s speech is a welcome development, but the attempt to downplay the #NotoBadGovernance protest is very unfortunate and it reinforces the disrespect for democracy.
“No democracy will function without an enabling environment for citizens to exercise their right to protest. If the President fail to acknowledge the value of recognizing the voice of the people that will not be good for our Country.
“I have gone through the President’s speech that touched on several policies, particularly on Job creation, the integrity test for Dam, Exxon Mobil divestment, Economic Stabilization Bil , energy transition via CNG buses and the Nigerian Education Loan fund.
“I will like to commend the President for the bold decision for trying to convoke the national youth conference to engage the youth, which looks good. We should hope that this initiative is followed up with concrete action plans that will build trust with the people.”
The Executive Director, Global Rights Nigeria, Abiodun Baiyewu sees it differently, saying the speech was full of self-praise, as current economic situation is powder keg.
He said, “Typical of his speeches, this was not any different. It was full of platitudes, with a lot of self-back-patting. He generously awarded his administration high marks, forgetting that in our democratic system, the only grades that matter are those given by the citizens.
“Oblivious of our current realities and the mood of the country, he decided Nigerians can proudly pronounce that they are achieving the dreams of their founding fathers. I doubt our forefathers envisioned Nigeria as a nation with such inequity and governance ineptitude, in which people endure so much hardship!
“In the troughs of our trust deficit occasioned by weak institutions and the failures of the political class, he interpreted our collective trauma as that we Nigerians being “united”. We pray and work toward a united Nigeria, but it is disingenuous to claim we are basking in unity.
“Even during the protests against widespread hunger, there was still discrimination against Igbos in Lagos, and our rhetorics are more than ever coloured in ethnic and religious divisiveness.
“Mr. President also mentioned that we are winning the war against insurgency and insecurity. This doesn’t match the reality on the ground. This year alone, Nigeria Mourns tracking shows that at least 4,011 people were killed and at the very least, 4,339 were abducted as of August 2024.
“He also, for the umpteenth time, asked Nigerians to be patient while his economic reforms kick into high gear.
“The speech noticeably lacked any mention of what steps the government is taking to reduce the high cost of governance. On the other hand, he has increased the number of ministries and has continued to exorbitantly increase government spending.
“Nigerians have been patient for 16 months while things have progressively worsened. Many Nigerians can barely afford to feed themselves. When people decided to protest the extraordinarily high cost of living and suffering, Tinubu’s administration gagged them, put them in jail and prosecuted them for treason..
“It had a lining of positivity to it. I appreciate that he expressed a determination to adhere to the judgment of the apex court on local government autonomy.
“Global Rights applauds the fact that he acknowledged that the youth need to be more involved in governance and its decision-making processes.
“Whether the National Youth Conference he is calling for is the best route to take is open for discussion. Historically, these sorts of conferences have not inspired significant change.
“What modalities will be used to select the youth to participate in the process? What will their charge be, and what are the expected outcomes of the conference? With our current economic state, we cannot afford to waste already scarce resources on a conference that achieves nothing.
“Our advice to Mr. President is, he should end the platitudes and backslapping and get to work on reducing the cost of living. The current economic situation is a powder keg. It has already led to protests that the government went to undemocratic lengths to suppress. If this trend continues, I fear for us.
“The Nigerian people will not tolerate leaders who ask them to tighten their belts while making no serious effort to tighten theirs. Also, respect the rule of law and human rights. Ensure the independence of the courts and of law enforcement.
“His administration should desist from dissipating its energies quashing dissent, jailing peaceful protesters and its unwarranted attacks on civic actors and the media.
“This is a way to prove that he understands the fundamentals of democratic governance. These moves will engender some goodwill amongst even his fiercest critics.”
