Atiku Abubakar, the 2023 presidential candidate for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has strongly criticized President Bola Tinubu’s recent address regarding the #EndBadGovernance protests in Nigeria.

In his remarks, Atiku contends that Tinubu’s speech fell short of addressing the core issues raised by the demonstrators and failed to resonate with the broader Nigerian populace.

Atiku’s critique, delivered through a statement from his media adviser Paul Ibe, underscores the perceived deficiencies in Tinubu’s address.

According to Atiku, the President’s speech lacked depth and did not offer concrete solutions to the severe economic challenges that have plagued Nigerians since Tinubu assumed office.

The PDP leader argues that Tinubu’s response failed to inspire confidence in his administration’s ability to effect meaningful reforms.

He points out that the speech was marred by its premature leakage, which, according to Atiku, reflects a broader issue of diminishing trust in the current administration.

Atiku elaborates that Tinubu’s address was intended to quell the unrest stemming from public dissatisfaction with the administration’s governance.

However, Atiku believes the speech was insufficient, particularly in addressing the pressing economic difficulties faced by Nigerian families.

He criticizes the President for not presenting substantial reforms or practical measures to alleviate the economic burden.

The former Vice President notes that the President missed key opportunities to address specific demands from the protesters.

These demands included halting the acquisition of new aircraft for the President, reducing the size of his cabinet, and reconsidering the costly office of the First Lady, which has reportedly been engaged in extravagant activities funded by the public.

Atiku describes Tinubu’s speech as superficial, suggesting that it revealed the President’s weak grasp of the policy issues at hand.

He argues that the President’s words failed to convince the public and did not reflect a genuine commitment to addressing the protesters’ grievances.

Furthermore, Atiku criticizes the administration for its failure to manage the speech’s confidentiality, as evidenced by its early leak.

This incident, he argues, is emblematic of the broader loss of confidence in the government.

In his statement, Atiku emphasizes that the current economic crisis is not the result of opposition sabotage but rather a consequence of the Tinubu administration’s ineffective policies.

He calls on the government to cease the practice of blaming past administrations and to confront the realities of their own shortcomings.

Overall, Atiku’s response highlights a significant disconnect between the administration’s messaging and the public’s expectations for substantive change and accountability.