…Says it was full of rhetoric, false claims
John Alechenu, ABUJA
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has described the 64th Independent Day nationwide address by President Bola Tinubu as another lethargic and windy rhetoric of false performance claims and empty promises ostensibly scripted to delude Nigerians in the face of the abysmal failure of the All Progressives Congress (APC) administration.

National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Hon. Debo Ologunagba, said this in a statement, in Abuja, on Tuesday.

He said, “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.

“President Tinubu has by this speech further confirmed the insensitivity of his administration towards the plight and demands by Nigerians which authenticates PDP’s position that there is no hope in sight under the overtly clueless, insensitive and unresponsive APC-led government.

“The failure of the speech to respond to the cries of millions of Nigerians that President Tinubu eases their suffering by reviewing life-suffocating policies of his government also validates concerns in the public space of emerging totalitarianism where certain individuals or groups of individuals are benefitting from the travail of the people.

“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 per cent 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 necessities of life under the APC watch.”

He further said, “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.”

He added that the failure of 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 further noted that, from the speech, it was clear that the APC-led administration is determined to stifle our nation’s democracy; the very fundamental of any independent nation as it is loudly silent on the erosion of credible election and constantly attacks on constitutionally guaranteed rights of citizens in our country under its watch

The party urged Nigerians to remain calm despite their disappointment, just as it counselled President Tinubu to visit the markets or take a walk with the youths on the street of any city in Nigeria to properly appreciate the real situation of the citizens rather than relying on fabricated statistics by officials of his government.