Former senator Dino Melaye has faulted President Bola Tinubu’s Independence Day broadcast, accusing him of deliberately sidestepping Nigeria’s most pressing challenge, insecurity.
In a statement on Thursday, Melaye said it was “a pity and a shame” that Tinubu mentioned insecurity only once in his October 1 address, despite the daily reality of kidnappings, killings, and widespread fear across the country.
“Over 1,000 Nigerians are currently being held captive in forests by terrorists. Farmers cannot access their lands, and people are being killed every day. Yet the President chose to gloss over this,” Melaye declared.
Tinubu’s speech, themed “From Reform to Prosperity”, focused largely on economic reforms, claiming Nigeria had endured the toughest phase and was now entering an era of growth. He highlighted declining inflation, improved oil-sector performance, and promised lower living costs, more jobs, and expanded production.
But Melaye argued that such optimism ignores the lived reality of Nigerians who remain trapped by insecurity. He insisted that no economic reform can succeed if citizens cannot move freely or feel safe in their communities.
His criticism came just hours after bandits attacked residents in Kaduna State on Independence Day, killing one person and abducting several others, an incident Melaye said underscores the urgency of the issue Tinubu failed to address.
Opposition figures, including former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, have also dismissed Tinubu’s claims of prosperity, insisting that reforms have yet to ease the burden of food, transport, and healthcare costs for ordinary Nigerians.