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Tinubu Criticized for Speech as EndBadGovernance Protests Continue
Stakeholders have expressed disappointment with President Bola Tinubu’s recent speech, criticizing his failure to address the core demands of the EndBadGovernance protesters.
The nationwide protests, which began on August 1 and are set to last ten days, have been sparked by widespread frustration over economic hardships, including hunger and the soaring cost of living.
The protests have spread to various states, including Kano, Borno, Yobe, Kaduna, Gombe, Bauchi, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Niger, and Jigawa.
The demonstrations have turned violent, with reports of fatalities and significant injuries.
Amnesty International has reported that at least 13 people were killed, while other sources suggest the number could be as high as 19.
Property damage and looting have also been reported in some areas.In response, President Tinubu addressed the nation, expressing sympathy for the victims’ families and urging protesters to engage in dialogue rather than continue the demonstrations.
He outlined government measures, including the disbursement of N570 billion for livelihood support and the distribution of conversion kits for Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) to reduce transportation costs.
Despite rejecting calls for the reinstatement of fuel subsidies, Tinubu promised to distribute one million CNG conversion kits.However, critics argue that Tinubu’s speech did not address several key demands made by the protesters.
These demands include significant reforms to the Senate, raising the minimum wage to N250,000, releasing political detainees like Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, tackling insecurity, and reforming the judiciary.
Stakeholders have voiced their concerns about the lack of concrete responses to these issues.Yerima Shettima, President General of the Arewa Youths Consultative Forum, expressed frustration over Tinubu’s lack of focus on the security crisis in northern Nigeria and the need to reduce government expenditure.
He suggested that the president should have declared a state of emergency in affected northern states and made efforts to cut governance costs.Yunusa Tanko, spokesman for Labour Party’s Peter Obi, criticized Tinubu for not providing actionable solutions to the economic issues affecting Nigerians, such as reducing fuel prices and supporting agricultural production.
Dele Momodu, publisher of Ovation Magazine, also expressed dismay, noting that the speech failed to address the protesters’ demands and questioning the effectiveness of Tinubu’s advisors.As the protests continue, organizers have threatened to extend them beyond the planned ten days if their demands are not met.
Omoleye Sowore, a prominent activist, stated that the protests would persist if the government’s responses remain inadequate.
Meanwhile, the Nigerian military has warned that it will intervene if the violence escalates further, emphasizing the need for unity and caution against vandalism.
JAMB has announced that it will release the results of over 379,000 candidates who sat for the rescheduled UTME this Wednesday. The resit, which ran from Friday to Monday, was organized following several reports of technical and human issues during the initial exam. These issues, which were especially noticeable in Lagos and the South-East, affected candidates’ performance and sparked nationwide concern about the exam’s fairness.
JAMB admitted to system failures and took responsibility. Last week, Registrar Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, while announcing the makeup exam, emotionally accepted blame and assured affected candidates they would get another chance. Out of the original 1.9 million candidates who sat for the UTME, more than 1.5 million scored below 200 marks, raising eyebrows about the exam’s credibility.
JAMB’s spokesperson, Fabian Benjamin, confirmed that the resit results would be made public on Wednesday. He noted that 379,997 candidates were affected—over 200,000 from Lagos and more than 170,000 from the South-East. According to the registrar, the issues were due to sabotage, and affected candidates were notified via text messages starting last Thursday.
So far, of the nearly two million results processed, only 0.24% of candidates scored 320 and above, while just 0.63% scored 300 and above. Around 3.76% scored between 250–299, 17.11% fell within the 200–249 range, and over half—50.29%—scored between 160–199. The rest scored below 160, with a very small number getting less than 100.
APC chieftain Joe Igbokwe has pointed fingers at Nigerian traders for the continued surge in food prices across the country. In a Facebook post on Saturday, the outspoken supporter of President Bola Tinubu’s administration accused traders of being too greedy to reduce their prices.
He added that even as statistics suggest that the cost of food is starting to drop, traders have refused to comply. Furthermore, he expressed frustration, saying the refusal to lower prices shows a deeper problem of selfishness among citizens. According to him, Nigerians are their own worst enemies, driven by greed and a habit of taking more than they need.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is set to travel to Rome this Saturday to attend the inauguration of Pope Leo XIV, the new leader of the Roman Catholic Church. The invitation came directly from Pope Leo XIV, who emphasized the importance of the president’s presence during this significant moment for the Church and a world facing many challenges.
Pope Leo XIV, formerly Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, will be officially installed as the 267th Bishop of Rome on Sunday, May 18, at St. Peter’s Square in the Vatican.
President Tinubu will be accompanied by key Catholic figures, including the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, Archbishop Lucius Ugorji of Owerri, Archbishop Ignatius Kaigama of Abuja, Archbishop Alfred Martins of Lagos, and Bishop Mathew Hassan Kukah of Sokoto.
Notably, Pope Leo XIV has a special connection to Nigeria, having worked at the Apostolic Nunciature in Lagos during the 1980s. After the ceremony, President Tinubu is expected to return to Abuja on Tuesday, May 20.
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