Reactions have trailed the Independence Day speech delivered by President Bola Tinubu on October 1, with opposition party leaders, presidential candidates, and others criticising the address. The speech was delivered on Nigeria's 66th Independence anniversary. Former Vice President and presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, has faulted President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Independence Day broadcast.
Atiku said President’s claim of prosperity does not reflect reality of Nigerians. He stated that 66 years after independence, millions of Nigerians are fighting for food, living wage and safe journey home. According to him, the past three years under Tinubu have plunged Nigeria into the most severe cost of living crisis, with families skipping meals, delaying treatment and borrowing to survive.
The Presidential Candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, also criticised the President's speech, saying Nigeria’s major challenge is not a lack of resources but the failure of successive governments to convert the country’s abundant resources into human development, productivity, security and shared prosperity. Obi stated that the 66th anniversary of the country’s independence should serve as a period for sober reflection on Nigeria’s progress and the direction of its development.
The Tanimu Turaki-led faction of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) also faulted President Tinubu’s address, insisting that Nigerians are worse off today than they were in 2023. The party raised its objections to the President’s claims through the National Publicity Secretary, Comrade Ini Ememobong, who said Tinubu’s portrayal of his administration as leading Nigerians towards prosperity did not reflect the country’s current realities.
However, the United States Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, congratulated Nigeria on its 66th Independence Anniversary, describing the country as vital to Africa’s stability and economic growth. Rubio, in a National Day message released by the U.S. Department of State on Thursday, said Washington valued its strong bilateral relationship with Nigeria.
The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) and the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN) have urged the Federal Government to tackle insecurity in the country. They also called on Nigerians to pray for the country’s leaders to make wise decisions. The groups made the call in their separate messages to mark Nigeria’s 66th Independence anniversary.
Key stakeholders have continued to criticise President Tinubu's policies, including the removal of fuel subsidy, which has led to a rise in petrol, transport and food costs. The opposition leaders have called for more concrete actions to address the country's economic challenges and insecurity.
Key points
- Atiku Abubakar criticised President Tinubu's speech, saying it did not reflect the reality of Nigerians.
- Peter Obi stated that Nigeria's major challenge is not a lack of resources but the failure of successive governments to convert the country’s abundant resources into human development.
- The US hailed Nigeria on its 66th Independence Anniversary, describing the country as vital to Africa’s stability and economic growth.
