President Bola Tinubu's national broadcast, according to Phrank Shaibu, Special Assistant on Public Communications to Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar, was boring and dishonest.
Shaibu called the nationwide broadcast a waste of time.
He pointed out that Tinubu's speech was only given to persuade organized labor not to stage a statewide demonstration.
The Atiku aide stated in a statement signed by him that Tinubu's broadcast was an afterthought after withdrawing petrol subsidies without a concrete plan to alleviate the miseries of the people who have been poorer since the All Progressives Congress, APC, assumed office in 2015.
According to Shaibu: “Tinubu’s speech was hurriedly put together in order to dissuade the suffering masses and the organised labour from embarking on protests. Rather than apologise for removing subsidy without providing a cushion for the poor, he went about accusing subsidy thieves of being behind the current suffering. If he is sure of this, why hasn’t he arrested them?
“Tinubu also lied when he claimed that he had for years been an advocate of subsidy removal. This was a man who in 2012 described petrol subsidy removal as “the Goodluck Jonathan tax†and sponsored protests in Lagos State. After he dubiously got to power, he lacked imagination on how to address the issue and then removed the subsidy but without a plan.â€
Tinubu's ostensible plans to distribute N50,000 handouts to small firms, according to Shaibu, would be hampered by inflation, currency rate issues, and corruption.
He added, “Tinubu says he will provide N50,000 (roughly $60) to 1, 300 nano businesses. This is reminiscent of the dubious trader moni and the monthly N20,000 spent on the public works programme of the last APC government which not only failed to stimulate the economy but also worsened poverty as funds went into private pockets.
“What mechanism is in place to ensure that poor Nigerians access this? The answer is none. This is nothing but deception as we shall all see in the coming weeks.â€
He also questioned the president's plan to give 500,000 hectares of land to farmers in order to boost agriculture even when insecurity had failed to reduce.
He added, “The Land Use Act puts lands under the purview of the governors. His so-called plan to provide 500,000 hectares is just part of the deception and a continuation of Buhari’s failed promises.
“Besides, just on Saturday, farmers were killed and others kidnapped in Birnin Gwari, Kaduna State. Till now, there has not been a word from the Presidential Villa.
“Most of the communities being attacked are agrarian communities which rely on farming. What sort of plan can you implement in the agric sector without first tackling insecurity?â€