The main opposition was the Peoples Democratic Party( PDP), and the ruling All Progressives Congress( APC), who yesterday disagreed over President Bola Tinubu’s New Year message. While the APC hailed the speech and said that the President had proved that he could deliver on his promises despite the global economic crisis, the PDP said the message showed that Tinubu was disconnected and unconcerned about Nigerians’ hardship.
The message also elicited responses from the Coalition of United Political Parties, CUPP, Afenifere and some political leaders.
In the message, President Tinubu, who assured Nigerians of a better year, unveiled his goals for 2025 and promised measures that would lower the price of food and drugs, and reduce inflation to 15 per cent from the current 36.4 per cent.
Tinubu has put Nigeria on right track – APC
Speaking on the message, National Secretary of the APC, Dr Ajibola Basiru, said the President has proven that he can deliver on his promises despite the global economic crisis.
“The President has taken tough decisions throughout last year and now he has told Nigerians that it would yield positive economic development and I believe he has put the country on the right track, hence, reducing inflation as he pledged would not be difficult. He said he will bring down inflation from 36.4 percent to 15 percent this year, it is achievable and he will do it.
“He has successfully overseen the resurgence of Port Harcourt and Warri refineries and ensured competition in the oil and gas industry. He is also very well aware that supporting local production of pharmaceuticals is the best way to bring down the prices and he will do it.
“My counsel for naysayers, who seek doomsday for Nigeria is that they should support President Tinubu, he knows what he is doing and will not stop at making Nigeria great again. They should forget about politics and support his vision for Nigeria’s growth and development.”
President disconnected, unconcerned – PDP“However, the PDP said that the President’s New Year broadcast paints a gloomy picture of what lies ahead of Nigerians in 2025 adding that the entire address confirms its fears that the President has since lost touch with the realities being faced by Nigerians as a consequence of his administration’s policies.“National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Hon. Debo Ologunagba in a statement, said:
“The PDP asserts that President Bola Tinubu’s 2025 New Year Day address further confirms its position and that of most Nigerians that there is no hope in sight for the nation under his administration.““The Party describes the speech as a self-satisfying posturing which further validates the notorious fact that the Tinubu-led APC administration is completely disconnected and unconcerned with the hardship Nigerians are going through as a result of the ill-implemented policies and gross mismanagement of resources under the President’s watch.““Nigerians were appalled that despite the prodding by the PDP and well-meaning citizens, President Tinubu’s New Year speech did not articulate any specific direction for the nation or proffer solution to the myriad of problems caused by APC’s misrule.
President Tinubu’s speech again underlines APC’s insensitivity to the anguish of Nigerians by failing to present any definite policy roadmap towards reducing the price of petroleum products, addressing the widespread hunger in the land and revamping our ailing productive sector.““The speech did not articulate any solution-based direction for the critical sectors of electricity, oil and gas, road infrastructure, food production among other areas that are fundamental to the wellbeing of citizens.
It was also pathetically devoid of a precise plan to address unemployment through strategic investment to stimulate multi-sectoral Small and Medium Scale Enterprises in the country.““If indeed the APC administration has the interest of Nigerians at heart, the New Year address would have made definite pronouncements on the price of fuel especially given that with a deft, transparent and innovative management of resources, economic potentials, comparative advantage, national refining capacity and effective policing of our borders, Nigerians should not pay more than N350 per litre for petrol within the country.
In any case, from the speech, it is clear that the Tinubu-led APC administration lacks the expected patriotic commitment as well as required capacity, competence and skills to effectively harness and manage the resources of the nation for the good of the citizens.““Moreover, President Tinubu’s claim in the speech that Nigerians placed their confidence in him as their President is ludicrous and shows that he is disconnected from the reality of his abysmal perception among Nigerians.““Mr. President must realize that Nigerians have lost faith in his administration, they have since moved on and are eagerly waiting for the next round of election that will mark the end of the nightmare which the APC represents to our nation.““Our Party, however, counsels President Tinubu to redeem his image by ending the insensitivity of his administration, listen to Nigerians and get more committed and focused on the purpose of governance which is the welfare and security of the people.”
Talk without action pushing Nigerians deeper into poverty -CUPP
On his part, CUPP National Secretary, Chief Peter Ameh said: “2024 was a very harsh year for most Nigerians because of the impulsive decisions taken by the government.
It’s all been talk and more talk, no action and this has pushed poverty to 56 percent of our population. Roughly 129 million of our citizens are today living below the poverty line.““I also heard Mr. President give an example of his friend who could no longer put fuel in his Rolls Royce or something and is now driving a Honda, but has he given a thought for those who used to drive Honda, Camry and other low fuel consumption vehicles?““With his single pronouncement of the removal of subsidies the cost of public transportation jumped by 300 percent. The cost of debt service jumped from N87 trillion to over N130 trillion under his watch.
On the Presidential plan to float a company to reduce inflation, Ameh said, “This is simply another ploy to increase administrative bottlenecks in the process. We have existing agencies and parastatals that can handle such matters. What is required is to strengthen them to deliver.
This is just like the Ministry of Livestock Development when we have the Ministry of Agriculture. Food inflation is currently at about 80 percent. This can be brought down substantially if the right actions are taken.”
Tinubu’s govt hindered by misconceptions – Afenifere
Also speaking, the Pan-Yoruba socio-political organisation, Afenifere, said the President Tinubu Administration thrives on misconceptions and urged him to make pro-people economic policies and not mere promises.
Afenifere’s National Publicity Secretary, Prince Justice Faloye said the Tinubu government should admit that its policies of subsidies removal and devaluation were the cause of inflation.
Faloye, in a chat with Vanguard, said: “Afenifere appreciates the President’s optimism but at half term, and hopes that it would come true. However, we expect this to be a year of fulfilment, or at least its dawn, not a year of further promises and renewed hope that has brought nothing but more poverty.
“The reality on ground is that Nigerians are dying due to increased poverty caused by devaluation that devalued real wages, coupled with increased energy prices, increased cost of raw materials and exorbitantly high interest rates, which all fuel our current hyperinflation.
“With regards to the renewed promises of reduced food and drug prices, specifically, we refer to the early promises of the administration when it created the Presidential Economic Coordination Council, and allocated N500 billion to agriculture with a promise to stabilize prices within six months.
Unfortunately, food prices have soared ever since then. The questions we raised at the time was that did the Federal Government own any land that it was promising to turn into agriculture?
“Afenifere believes that ideologically misconceptions are the greatest hindrance to this administration. Rather than admit that its policies of subsidies removal and devaluation are the cause of inflation, it went ahead to increase bank interest rates, a cure for demand-pull inflation and not cost-push inflation that we suffer from.
Thereby causing manufacturing closures and more unemployment.”
Peretei, Otaloro, Folarin, Ogunsuyi speak
Others who spoke on the speech include Publicity Secretary of Ondo PDP, Hon Kennedy Peretei, who said Tinubu was “still campaigning, almost halfway through his four-year tenure. He cannot be taken seriously. He does not have the solutions to Nigeria’s problems.”
Director of Publicity Ondo APC, Hon Steve Otaloro, said the President’s ambitious goals for 2025 and vision for a better Nigeria deserve the support of all.
“The President’s commitment to lowering food and drug prices, as well as reducing inflation to 15%, is music to our ears. These are critical issues that affect the lives of millions of Nigerians, and we’re confident that with President Tinubu’s leadership, we can achieve these goals and more,” he said.
Former Senate leader and the APC governorship candidate in Oyo State, Teslim Folarin, said: “I support President Tinubu’s recent message and his ambitious goals for 2025. Addressing the rising costs of food and essential medications is crucial for the well-being of our citizens. The burden of high food and drug prices is a pressing issue that needs urgent attention. To achieve the goal of reducing inflation to 15%, we need actionable plans and robust policies.”
Mr Lanre Ogunsuyi, a public analyst and former Commissioner of Information and Civic Orientation in Ekiti State, said “the Presidential speech fell short of the expectation of Nigerians. Even though the president acknowledged the hardship the people are going through, asking them to continue to endure is like riding a willing horse to death.”
VANGUARD
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