President Tinubu’s Broadcast: Nigerians Task Governors To Account For Funds From FG, Say Speech Did Not Address Main Issue

By Ayodele Oni

Nigerians have been reacting to Sunday morning broadcast by President Bola Tinubu over the current nationwide protest.

The president had highlighted various efforts by the administration to cushion the biting hardship occasioned by high cost of goods and services.

In the broadcast, Tinubu also disclosed the federal government release of funds to states as part of efforts to cushion the economic hardship, which is a fallout of subsidy withdrawal on petrol.

The president stated that “more than N570 billion has been released to the 36 states to expand livelihood support for their citizens, while 600,000 nano-businesses have benefitted from our nano-grants. An additional 400,000 more nano-businesses are expected to benefit.”

Reacting to funds accusing to states, one  Olawale Kadri wrote on a social media platform that  “H.E Biodun Oyebanji, How much did Ekiti got from this exclusive livelihood support for citizens and how was it spent?

“Akin Oyebode HC Finance sir, since Mr Governor might be too busy with state matters, kindly tell us how much the state got from this N570 Billion and how was it spent to support EKITI citizens livelihood.

“Still in the spirit of National Protest, let’s share this to ask our governors how they spent this money. If you are not from Ekiti State, mention your Governor and HC Finance to ask them questions.

“If Nigeria must get better, citizens must start asking the right questions from the right people.”

In his comment Prof Chris Mustapha Nwaokobia Jnr.,

Convener Country first Movement, wrote “Mr. President’s speech this morning was a flaccid and an uneventful dance around the issues that brought us to the nadir. He sought to validate the policies that traumatize the people.

“He sought to decree an end to the protests without addressing the issues. Without making concrete promises. Without announcing some far-reaching Reforms.

“And without saying a thing about cutting the cost of governance, and cutting wastage, wanderlust and profligacy.

“The person who wrote that speech maybe utterly wicked, mischievous and treacherous, because I do not believe that such is the mind of Mr. President. But what do I know?

“So after 3 days of protestation, all the President can say is that he is doing well, and that we must be patient? Who has bewitched our President, who are those telling him that the young people are mad trouble shooters?

“Who are those telling him that the young people are being manipulated by political agents and opponents of his? Who are those taking him away from the sad reality, and the ominous tide in the land?

One Ogunyinka reacted “Reading through his speech, it is the same old story, of promises, since day one. The main hopeful game changer is the expected rearing into life of Dangote’s Refinery’s pms, which will relieve pressure on the forex and reduce pms prices.

“It will take Nigerians longer days or even years, to recover from the economic dislocation foisted upon them, via Tinubu’s slavish and irrational adoption of Bretton Woods institutions’ prescribed medication. We never recovered from Babangida’s IMF induced SAP.

“Tinubu will not announce any reduction in PMS price, because, despite his ‘subsidy is gone’ pronouncement, PMS is currently made available at a serious level of burden to the federation via NNPCL.

“Tinubu met a deficit economy that was to collapse within three months. This is the usual laughable narrative. They told us that our economy would have collapsed if Buhari had not come. Nonsensical stories.”