Tinubu’s failure to address protesters’ demands worrisome, says INC

The Ijaw National Congress has expressed concerns regarding President Bola Tinubu’s Sunday nationwide broadcast, stating that he failed to address the demands of ongoing protesters across Nigeria.

In a broadcast on Sunday, August 4, President Tinubu spoke to the nation amid protests that began on August 1, which have led to violence in various regions.

Protesters have called for several key changes, including a reduction in petrol pump prices, improvements in living standards, cuts in the cost of governance, decreases in electricity tariffs, and solutions to escalating insecurity, among others.

In a statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Ezonebi Oyakemeagba, the INC criticised the President’s address for not adequately responding to these pressing issues.

“The president’s speech did not address the demands of Nigerians as expressed through the protesters,” the statement read.

Oyakemeagba noted that while Tinubu highlighted some of his achievements, he overlooked critical issues, saying, “He didn’t address the issues of cost of governance, corruption, the removal of subsidies on petroleum products, or the increase in electricity tariffs. Nigerians expected concrete statements on how these issues would be tackled, including a timeframe for solutions.”

He emphasised that the current economic climate is one of the worst in Nigeria’s history, lamenting, “The larger population of Nigerians is going through extreme poverty and hunger.

“The clear message from the protesters is that there is hunger in the country, a direct result of bad policies. Reducing the pump price of petroleum products could alleviate many of the challenges we are facing.”

The group also criticised the distribution of food aid by state governments, stating, “Imagine various state governments sharing rice and garri to citizens. This can only be experienced during war or natural disasters.”