Grapevine

CUPP faults Tinubu's silence on hunger protest

In a statement on Friday by the opposition coalition’s spokesperson, Mark Adebayo, the group said rather than Tinubu addressing the nation as President directly, he has chosen to allow his spokesmen and other government officials insult the sensibilities of Nigerians by making provocative statements.

The statement read, “In the buildup to the nationwide hunger protests, the President didn’t deem it fit to address Nigerians directly but chose to allow his spokesmen and other government officials to insult the sensibilities of Nigerians by making provocative statements that further escalated the people’s anger.

“A responsible and proactive President would have demonstrated leadership weeks ago by directly addressing the nation and giving some concessions that would have staved off or minimized the mass protests.

“But he chose to engage in ‘sidon-look’ and ‘I-don’t-care’ attitude towards the whole thing. His woeful leadership style has thrown the whole country into the current bloody crises that have functionally locked down the country’s already sick economy and social life.”

The group mentioned that if Tinubu had shown leadership by talking to Nigerians and taking necessary actions by holding dialogue with organisers of the #EndBadGovernanceInNigeria protests and other critical stakeholders in the country, including the opposition, “most of the deaths and destructions witnessed on just Day 1 of the protests would have been averted or significantly ameliorated.”