- Obi pledges virile opposition in 2024
The People’s Democratic Party has described the New Year speech by President Bola Tinubu as a “harvest of deceit, false claims and empty promises.”
The PDP in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, on Monday, described Tinubu’s speech as uninspiring and amounts to a waste of valuable time as it did not address any of the critical issues plaguing the nation.
“Nigerians were dismayed as President Tinubu employed rhetoric and failed to address the critical issues of insecurity, decayed infrastructure, comatose manufacturing, and productive sectors; crushing 28% inflation rate, continuing plunge of the Naira, alarming unemployment, excruciating poverty and economic hardship occasioned by the reckless, ill-advised and insensitive policies and programmes of his administration, the opposition party stated.
The PDP publicity scribe described as an unpardonable assault on the sensibility of Nigerians for Tinubu to assert that “everything I have done in the office, every decision I have taken and every trip I have undertaken outside the shores of our land, since I assumed office on 29 May 2023, has been done in the best interest of our country.”
According to him, “On the contrary, all decisions and actions of the Tinubu Presidency including the approval of an increase in the pump price of fuel from N167 to over N700 per liter, devaluation of the naira with the consequential high costs and hardship; skewing of the 2024 budget in favour of luxury appetite of the Presidency and APC leaders without concrete policies to revive the economy and create jobs; the wasteful foreign trips with political cronies and failure to address the mindless killings across the nation cannot be said to be in the interest of our country.”
He added that Tinubu’s statement that his actions and policies are in the interest of the nation further confirmed that this administration is allegedly subjecting Nigerians to hardship as a way to suppress them to surrender to totalitarianism.
The statement read in part “President Tinubu ought to have used the opportunity presented by the New Year to apologize to Nigerians and marshal out steps to address our national challenges, including those responsible for the exiting of multinational manufacturing companies and other businesses from our country.
“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.”
Obi pledges virile opposition in 2024
Meanwhile, the 2023 Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, says his party will continue to adjust to a new role as Nigeria’s main opposition party.
According to Obi, the Labour Party shall remain firmly in opposition and keep the APC on its toes to protect the interest of Nigerians.
Obi, in his New Year Message to Nigeria on Monday, said, “As Nigeria is the only country we have, deeply endowed but lacking good leadership over the years, we will continue to seek a new Nigeria that we know is possible.”
According to him, a new Nigeria is possible in spite of the numerous yet-to-be-fulfilled aspirations of citizens.
Expressing his heartfelt and warmest greetings to all Nigerians, Obi prayed to God to bless them richly and grant them their good heart desires in the New Year and beyond.
Obi said, “The events of the past year are now part of our national history. As we trudge on, we remain mindful of the state of our nation and that our best hopes and aspirations remain largely unfulfilled.
“Peace and security continue to elude us with the rising level of bloodletting, deeply troubling and sometimes beyond a war situation.
“A situation where hundreds of Nigerians are violently killed in December alone is deeply sad and unacceptable.
“While we pray for the repose of the departed souls, we demand that the Federal Government must do whatever is required to bring the perpetrators to justice and permanently stop a recurrence in any part of Nigeria.”
He noted that the nation’s economy needed a turnaround, considering the rising unemployment, inflation, poverty, inequality, and other key socioeconomic variables.
“Nigerians are now very aware and convinced that good governance, inclusive development, and accountable leadership expected in a functional democracy continues to elude us.
“But we must be consistent and resolute in our demand for the rule of law, regulatory quality, and government effectiveness for transformative solutions to a litany of our social problems.
“If there is one fundamental threat to our democracy, it is the undermining and weakening of our national institutions and the capture of state affairs and resources by few individuals and private interests.
“This must stop for Nigeria to move forward and function as an inclusive and sustainable society and nation,” Obi, a former two-term Anambra governor, said.
According to him, in a democratic and secular country like ours, there must be full respect for the separation of powers between the three independent arms of government, as well as between the federating units.
He said the National Assembly should devote time and commit itself to the diligent performance of its functions, like the 2024 budget, which required its prudent examination and subsequent patriotic-oriented approval or rejection.
Obi said the nation must work assiduously to avoid drifting to a one-party state or a situation where the Federal Government intervened unduly in the internal affairs of the states, particularly in circumstances where national security is not threatened.
He added, “We in the Labour Party have undertaken in the national interest and in our undying commitment to a New Nigeria that is possible, to remain firmly in opposition and, as such, must remain focused going forward.
“Our collective role in nation-building remains fundamental and obligatory,” Obi said.
He used the opportunity to thank all Nigerians who supported his campaign during the 2023 elections and voted for his party because of their belief in the quest for a New Nigeria.
Obi said the outcome of the 2023 presidential elections was contested and remained so, on record,” but the Courts of law have spoken; so be it.”
He said, “I wish to thank members of the Labour Party, the Obidient Family, friends and well-wishers of Nigeria for their loyalty, resilience, tenacity and commitment to true democracy.
“We will continue ongoing discussions and efforts for the Labour Party to adjust to our new role as Nigeria’s main opposition party.
“We will continue to constructively engage all Nigerians and our friends, who have now realised the vast implications of the road not taken; and the folly of national interest decisions predicated on sentiments and primordial interests.”
Obi said that Nigeria remained a God-given country and that the business of Nigeria was far too important to be left to those involved in transactional politics.
“I am involved in the struggle for a New Nigeria that is possible and works for all and will remain passionately committed to the crusade.
“I, therefore, implore you all who strive for a New Nigeria to remain fully engaged, committed and resilient as it is and will be possible.” NAN