The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has strongly criticised President Bola Tinubu’s New Year speech, referring to it as a ‘harvest of deceit, false claims, and empty promises’.
In a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, the PDP expressed disappointment with Tinubu’s address, describing it as uninspiring and lacking substance on critical issues affecting the nation.
Tinubu, in his New Year address, acknowledged the frustrations of Nigerians, particularly in response to the removal of the fuel subsidy and the devaluation of the Naira.
He urged the citizens to be patient as his administration’s decisions were aimed at preventing fiscal catastrophe and working toward socio-economic solutions under the ‘Renewed Hope Agenda’.
The PDP responded by criticising Tinubu for allegedly using rhetoric in response to urgent national issues such as insecurity, deteriorating infrastructure, difficulties in manufacturing, a 28% inflation rate, depreciation of the Naira, unemployment, poverty, and economic suffering.
The opposition party accused the Tinubu Presidency of making ill-advised and insensitive policies that contributed to the nation’s difficulties.
The PDP spokesperson labelled Tinubu’s claim that all his decisions were in the best interest of the country as an ‘unpardonable assault on the sensibility of Nigerians’.
The PDP called on President Tinubu to use the New Year as an opportunity to apologise to Nigerians and lay out concrete steps to address national challenges.
The party urged the National Assembly to play its constitutional role in holding the executive accountable for the nation’s finances.
“What Nigerians demand of President Tinubu is to provide a comprehensive account of our nation’s earnings including the proceeds from the removal of subsidy on petroleum products, especially in the face of allegations that the earnings are being diverted to private pockets of APC leaders and their cronies.
“The National Assembly is invited to step up and perform its constitutional role of oversight to hold the Executive Arm accountable as the custodian of the purse of the nation,” the statement partly read.
