‘A reign of failed promises’ — LP reps fault Tinubu’s one year in office

The Labour Party’s (LP) caucus in the house of representatives says President Bola Tinubu’s one year in office is a “reign of economic hardship and failed promises”.

In a statement signed by Afam Ogene, the leader of the caucus, the lawmakers said the rising insecurity and economic hardship in the country negate Tinubu’s renewed hope agenda campaign he promised Nigerians.

The LP caucus said it is “bewildering” that Nigeria’s economy has “dangerously continued” on a free fall one year after the inauguration of the current administration.

The opposition lawmakers said the situation is “casting a cloud of doubt” on the capacity of the All Progressives Congress (APC) government to rescue the nation.

“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,” the statement reads.

“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 legislators said the soaring food prices, with an inflation rate of 33.2 percent compounded by insecurity, have made life difficult for Nigerians.

“These verifiable figures and the excruciating living conditions of the people, more than any other thing, underscore the fact that in just one year, the APC government has earned an unenviable record of perpetuating a cycle of poverty and underdevelopment, in spite of the flowery campaign promises it made just last year,” the LP caucus said.

“President Tinubu campaigned on the mantra of ‘Renewed Hope Agenda.’ This was anchored on an eight-point agenda that formed his social contract with the Nigerian electorate: food security, poverty alleviation, growth, job creation, access to capital, inclusion, the rule of law, and the anti-corruption fight.

“This economic plan raised cautious optimism in many because it embodies the concept of utilitarianism — ultimate good for the greatest number.

“But now, we hasten to ask, have Nigerians seen any indication of fulfilment of those promises? On the contrary, the ordinary man on the street is weeping and wailing with pervasive hunger, hunting millions of homes. So, what we see, in an actual sense, are failed promises.”

The lawmakers said Tinubu promised a “bold and assertive policy that will create a strong yet adaptive national security architecture and action to obliterate terror, kidnapping, banditry, and all other forms of violent extremism from the face of our nation”.

“Given the security situation today, this appears to be a mere rhapsody of rhetoric, making many believe that the administration lacks an effective security strategy, as Nigerians are bogged down by incessant abductions, displacements, and massacres by non-state actors across the nation,” the caucus said.

The legislators asked Tinubu to “urgently” prioritise minimising the suffering of Nigerians by ensuring food security, access to clean water, healthcare, and education.

“Tackling poverty and guaranteeing these necessities are pivotal to the sustenance of peace in the nation,” the lawmakers said.

“We also call on the government to intensify the fight against corruption, with transparent governance and accountability being paramount.

“We also warn that the government should desist from throwing the nation to the whims of foreign financial institutions, whose policies in developing countries are often anti-people.”