Tinubu’s Broadcast Lacks Empathy – Ex-Presidential Aide

• Jackson Ude criticized President Tinubu’s speech, calling it disconnected and lacking empathy regarding the ongoing protests over poor governance
• Ude condemned the removal of the fuel subsidy, stating it caused hardships for Nigerians and criticizing ineffective government palliatives to mitigate its impact

Jackson Ude, the former Director of Strategy and Communication to President Goodluck Jonathan, has criticized President Bola Tinubu’s recent nationwide broadcast regarding the ongoing protests over poor governance and increasing hardship.

The protests, which began on Thursday, August 1, 2024, have seen a heavy-handed response from security forces, resulting in the reported deaths of nearly 24 people.

Amidst widespread condemnation of the security personnel’s actions, President Tinubu addressed the nation on Sunday. Writing from the United States, Ude described the President’s speech as disconnected and lacking empathy.

“President Bola Tinubu’s address to the nation shows he is insensitive, out of touch, and unconnected with the people,” Ude stated. “His speech lacked empathy and did not address the issues of his over-bloated government, corruption, hunger, unemployment, and insecurity plaguing the country.”

Ude also criticized the Federal Government’s removal of the petroleum subsidy, arguing that the measures taken to mitigate its impact have been ineffective.

“The premature removal of the oil subsidy has brought untold hardships to many Nigerians,” Ude said. “The government’s resort to palliatives, mostly hijacked by politicians and middlemen, has not solved the problems or filled the gaps created by the subsidy removal.”

He argued that President Tinubu’s announcement of the removal of the subsidy during his swearing-in was rushed and lacked a plan to cushion its effects on Nigerians. “The result of that premature announcement is the hardship on Nigerians that followed,” Ude said.

“This is one of the reasons for the protest. Instead of finding a middle ground to address the issue or even considering the return of subsidies for at least one year pending the implementation of necessary strategies, he addressed the country in the middle of the protest, promising nothing.”

Ude also condemned Tinubu’s apparent lack of interest in reducing the cost of governance. “The President didn’t even bother about the agitation for him to cut down the size of his government. The huge size of his government has taken a chunk of the country’s economy,” he said.

“While Nigerians groan in pain from poverty and hunger, the President, his cabinet, and his aides live largely. This is not acceptable,” Ude concluded.