Deputy Director-General, Media and Communications of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) Presidential Campaign Council (PCC), Chief Dele Momodu, has faulted President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Independence Day broadcast on Thursday, describing it as ‘uninspiring’.
Momodu, in reaction, posted on his X handle, said he watched and listened to the President’s speech on television and was not impressed, saying day meant for celebration was turned into day of lamentation.
‘Dear Mr President, please permit me to wish you Happy Independence on our 66th anniversary. I will not waste too much time Sir. I have just watched and listened to your speech on television and I must honestly say I wasn’t impressed. Today is supposed to be a day of celebration but your speech turned it into a day of lamentation,’ he said.
He faulted President’s analogy of Nigeria as cancer patient that survived on painkillers before his administration, noting that the President mentioned morphine as the drug of choice by predecessors.
‘My heart bled as you went into morbid analogy of Nigeria as being cancer patient that merely survived on pain killers before your arrival as celebrated surgeon. You specifically mentioned morphine as drug of choice by your predecessors. I’m not sure this analogy was appropriate. At time you assumed power, Nigeria probably had stage two cancer at worst. You were expected to stabilise it and not to metastasize it into stage four cancer,’ Momodu said.
He said President’s decision on fuel subsidy on first day in office was hasty and sent economy into crisis.
‘Your first prescription on day one was monumental disaster. You took no time to properly examine your patient. You were too much in a hurry to administer your jab, which automatically sent Nigeria into instant coma. And you’ve not been able to revive it. Least we expected from you was to stabilise and not to destabilise everything in sight,’ he added.
Momodu said fuel subsidy removal was a misadventure and that Nigerians expected an apology.
He listed challenges facing country, including rising debt, insecurity, poverty, and profligacy, saying renewed hope has collapsed into hopelessness.
‘Sir, your fuel subsidy stunt was misadventure. I expected apology for medical calamity. So Nigeria has made more money, amassed more loans, insecurity has increased, poverty has escalated, profligacy is palpable, politicians have remained insensitive, elections have taken priority over governance, renewed hope has collapsed into hopelessness and abject despair,’ he said.
He said Nigerians have given up on promises and may not endure endless excuses barely three months to the next elections.
‘Nigerians have mostly given up on your promises. I doubt they are able to endure and accept endless excuses barely three months to next elections. Four years may not be able to contain and solve all our problems but hope should be glaring by now,’ Momodu said.