A critical stance has been taken by the Coalition of United Political Parties against President Bola Tinubu for his perceived indifferent attitude towards the ongoing protests in the country.
The coalition has labeled the President’s leadership style as “woeful”, attributing it to the current state of unrest in the nation, particularly amid the hunger protest.
In a statement released on Friday through the opposition coalition’s spokesperson, Mark Adebayo, it was emphasized that Tinubu’s failure to directly address the nation and instead letting his spokespeople and government officials make inflammatory remarks has further fueled public discontent.
According to the statement, “Prior to the widespread hunger protests, the President neglected the opportunity to directly communicate with Nigerians, opting instead to allow his representatives to make statements that only heightened public outrage.”
“A responsible and proactive President would have exhibited leadership by addressing the nation earlier and offering concessions to potentially prevent or reduce the scale of the protests.
“However, his detached and unconcerned demeanor has exacerbated the ongoing crises, resulting in a stalemate that has crippled the nation’s already fragile economy and societal fabric.”
The group highlighted that had Tinubu engaged in dialogue with the organizers of the #EndBadGovernanceInNigeria movement and other key stakeholders, including the opposition, many of the casualties and damages witnessed on the first day of the protests could have been avoided or mitigated significantly.
Continuing, CUPP stated, “The public’s anger is justified as a result of widespread hunger. Moreover, irresponsible statements insinuating that government officials would be feasting while the populace protested were irresponsibly propagated by prominent figures within the APC government such as Senate President Godswill Akpabio and others.”
The opposition parties decried “the administration’s disregard for Nigerians and its demonstrated incompetence in governance since its inception last year.”
“We hold the Federal Government accountable for the loss of lives and property damage occurring during the nationwide protests against hunger and poor governance.
“The authorities had ample time to prevent this violence but chose not to engage with the public and address the crisis proactively.
“We urge the security forces to show maximum restraint when dealing with demonstrators. Furthermore, we call upon Nigerians to refrain from looting or engaging in criminal behavior during these protests. It is imperative that our democratic principles are not undermined.”