The Labour Party (LP) caucus in the House of Representatives has sharply criticized President Bola Tinubu’s first year in office, describing it as marked by “economic hardship, insecurity, and hopelessness,” in stark contrast to the administration’s “Renewed Hope” mantra.
This was articulated by the caucus leader, Hon. Afam Victor Ogene, in a State-of-the-Nation statement issued in Abuja on Tuesday to commemorate Tinubu’s first anniversary.
The LP caucus asserted that Tinubu’s pledge to continue the legacy of his predecessor, Muhammadu Buhari, has been starkly evident to the nation. “It’s bewildering that the economy of the nation has dangerously continued on a free fall, one year after the inauguration of the current administration, thereby casting a cloud of doubt on the capacity of the All Progressives Congress (APC) government to rescue the nation from the current situation, especially after what it described as the precarious eight years of the past administration, characterised by widespread despair,” the statement read.
Reflecting on the previous year’s presidential election and its aftermath, the caucus expressed their initial hope for positive change. “After last year’s glitch-determined presidential election, and the legal gymnastics which ratified the indolent behaviour of the electoral umpire, our caucus had taken a backseat, in the patriotic hope that, maybe, just maybe, the beneficiary administration would be able to wrought magic and pull the nation from the precipice of economic annihilation,” Ogene stated.
However, the caucus noted that the reality has been disappointing. “But, as can be obviously felt by the blind, and seen by the deaf; the entire country has, after one year, come to the full and unambiguous understanding of what President Bola Tinubu meant, when he said that his administration would continue with the ‘legacies’ of his predecessor. The current staggering negative economic indices should alarm every Nigerian, as it has left many previous optimists, including ourselves, in glaring shock,” the caucus lamented.
The LP caucus also pointed out that Tinubu’s administration has yet to fulfill its eight-point agenda, which includes food security, poverty alleviation, growth, job creation, access to capital, inclusion, rule of law, and anti-corruption efforts. “This economic plan raised cautious optimism in many because it embodies the concept of utilitarianism – ultimate good to the greatest number. But now, we hasten to ask, have Nigerians seen any indication of fulfillment of those promises? On the contrary, the ordinary man on the street is weeping and wailing, with pervasive hunger haunting millions of homes. So, what we see, in actual sense, are failed promises,” the caucus added.
In their statement, the LP caucus called on the government to intensify its fight against corruption and ensure transparent governance and accountability. They also warned against excessive reliance on foreign financial institutions, whose policies in developing countries are often seen as detrimental to the populace.
