Criticism of Tinubu's Response to EndBadGovernance Protests

Stakeholders have criticized President Bola Tinubu for not addressing key demands of the EndBadGovernance protesters during his nationwide broadcast on Sunday. The protests, sparked by hunger and high living costs, began on August 1 and are expected to last ten days, aiming to draw government attention to citizens' hardships.

The protests have turned violent in states like Kano, Borno, Yobe, and others, with numerous casualties reported. Amnesty International claimed 13 deaths on the first day, although other reports suggest 19. Hoodlums have also vandalized and looted properties.

In his speech, Tinubu called for dialogue and urged protesters to suspend their actions. He announced government measures, including releasing N570 billion for livelihood support and benefiting 600,000 nano businesses, with plans for an additional 400,000. He also promoted the Compress Natural Gas initiative to reduce transport costs by 60%.

However, Tinubu did not address key demands, such as reducing governance costs, improving security, and various political reforms. Critics, including Arewa Youths and Peter Obi's spokesman, felt Tinubu's speech lacked actionable solutions. Dele Momodu and other stakeholders expressed disappointment, noting Tinubu failed to meet the protesters' expectations.

Despite Tinubu's appeal, protest organizers threatened to continue the demonstrations indefinitely if demands were unmet. The Nigerian military has warned it may intervene if violence escalates.