Tinubu’s Democracy Day speech long on promises, short on answers – ADC

The African Democratic Congress on Friday described President Bola Tinubu’s Democracy Day address as an admission that the All Progressives Congress has failed to deliver on its promises after more than a decade in power.

The opposition party said Tinubu’s speech was “another campaign speech masquerading as a presidential address,” arguing that Nigerians deserved concrete results rather than fresh assurances on economic recovery, security and job creation.

In a statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, the ADC said the President’s address raised fundamental questions about the performance of both his administration and the APC government since the party assumed power in 2015.

“President Tinubu’s address was long on promises and short on answers. What Nigerians heard today was not the speech of a government entering its fourth year in office. It was the speech of a candidate seeking another mandate,” the party said.

The ADC’s reaction came shortly after Tinubu addressed the nation as part of activities marking Democracy Day, a national holiday commemorating the June 12, 1993 presidential election widely regarded as Nigeria’s freest and fairest poll and won by the late Chief Moshood Kashimawo Abiola.

While acknowledging the significance of June 12 and the sacrifices of pro-democracy activists, the opposition party accused the President of failing to use the occasion to account for his administration’s performance.

The statement read, “The question Nigerians should be asking is simple: after three years of President Tinubu and eleven years of APC rule, why are we still talking about promises?”

The party argued that many of the issues the APC pledged to address when it came to power, including insecurity, unemployment, poverty and economic decline, remain major challenges facing the country.

“The APC came to power in 2015 promising to tackle insecurity, revive the economy, create jobs, reduce poverty, strengthen ns, and improve the quality of life of Nigerians.

“Eleven years later, these same issues continue to dominate the government’s speeches. The fact that the President is still making many of the same promises that brought the APC to power is itself an admission that those promises remain unfulfilled,” the statement added.

The opposition party also faulted what it described as the administration’s emphasis on future prospects while millions of Nigerians grapple with economic hardship.

“The President spoke extensively about economic reforms. Yet, he failed to adequately address the reality that millions of Nigerians are experiencing one of the most severe cost-of-living crises in recent memory. Food prices remain painfully high.

“Transportation costs have soared. Small businesses continue to struggle under rising operating expenses. Families across the country are making painful sacrifices simply to survive. Nigerians cannot be expected to celebrate economic theories while enduring economic hardship,” it said.

The party further argued that Democracy Day should have provided an opportunity for the President to account for the APC’s stewardship over the last decade.

“Democracy Day should have been an opportunity for the President to account for eleven years of APC stewardship. It should have been an opportunity to explain why, under him, the lives of Nigerians have been rendered worthless, why millions of Nigerians are struggling with the cost of living, why unemployment and underemployment remain widespread, and why public confidence in government continues to decline.

“Instead, Nigerians were presented with another catalogue of future intentions,” the statement added.

The ADC maintained that continued appeals for patience from government amounted to an acknowledgement that expected results had not been achieved.

“The ADC believes that a government that is still making promises after eleven years in power is effectively admitting that it has not delivered. A government that continues to ask for patience after three years in office is acknowledging that the promised results have not materialised,” it said.

The party added that the President’s speech reinforced concerns that the administration was focused more on managing public expectations than addressing citizens’ concerns.

“President Tinubu’s Democracy Day address confirms what many Nigerians already know: this administration is increasingly focused on managing expectations rather than delivering outcomes. The government wants credit for promises and applause for intentions, while ordinary Nigerians continue to bear the consequences of its failures,” Abdullahi stated.

The ADC also turned its attention to the National Assembly, condemning lawmakers for proceeding on recess on a day dedicated to celebrating Nigeria’s democratic journey.

“Unfortunately, when it matters most, the APC-led National Assembly demonstrated, once again, a painful lack of historical awareness by shutting down the house of democracy on Democracy Day,” it lamented

The latest criticism adds to growing opposition scrutiny of the Tinubu administration as Nigerians continue to debate the impact of economic reforms introduced since May 2023, including the removal of fuel subsidy and the unification of the foreign exchange market, policies the government says are necessary for long-term economic stability but which have also contributed to a sharp rise in living costs.