Tinubu avoided Nigeria’s insecurity crisis in Independence Day speech – Atiku’s aide
Paul Ibe, a media aide to Atiku Abubakar, the presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), criticized President Bola Tinubu for his Independence Day address, claiming he did not adequately address Nigeria’s escalating insecurity.
Ibe expressed his concerns in a post on X on Saturday, reacting to Tinubu’s speech. He contended that the President’s remarks were significant not only for their content but also for what he chose not to address regarding the country’s security challenges.
Ibe noted that while Tinubu acknowledged insecurity and expressed gratitude to security forces, he failed to provide a comprehensive overview of the current crises, which include killings, kidnappings, mass abductions, and attacks on communities.
“President Bola Tinubu’s Independence Day address was remarkable not only for what he said but for what he carefully avoided saying,” Ibe stated. He asserted that the President’s fleeting references to insecurity did not address the severe threats that many Nigerians face daily.
The former aide emphasized that insecurity has become an “uncomfortable subject” for the administration. He argued that discussing economic prosperity without addressing safety issues only adds to the challenges faced by farmers, businesses, travelers, and communities.
“You cannot talk seriously about prosperity while avoiding security,” Ibe remarked. “A farmer who cannot safely reach his farm cannot contribute to food security. A businessman afraid to travel cannot grow his business. Children who fear abduction cannot learn in peace.”
He called for clear responses from Tinubu, as Commander-in-Chief, regarding the persistence of insecurity, outlining what has gone wrong, the progress made, and what changes are planned.
“Playing the ostrich cannot make the crisis disappear,” Ibe stated, reiterating that the protection of lives and property is the fundamental responsibility of government. He insisted that Nigerians deserve more than a cursory acknowledgment of insecurity in an Independence Day address.
“Insecurity cannot be wished away. It must be confronted, accounted for, and defeated,” he added.
