– Says President is bereft of ideas
Vincent Toritseju
Lagos — A group, National Association of Maritime Transport Operators, NAMTOP, has condemned the broadcast of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to Nigerians over the ongoing protest against bad governance saying that “The quality of his team cannot win the nation’s battle against hardship.”
Reacting to the broadcast, President of NAMTOP, Mr. Yinka Aroyewun said that from Tinubu’s message to Nigerians, it was obvious that the President was disturbed by the protest and called on him to ensure that protesters that were killed by security operatives get justice.
Aroyewun also said that the authors of the President’s speech are oblivious of reality of the situation in Nigeria adding that the President did not talk about the unprofessional conducts of the security operatives that led to the loss of lives during the protest.
He said: ”The president is disturbed by the protest. He recognizes the right to genuine protest. He condemned violence in the protests and pleaded for the withdrawal of the protest
“He ordered security operatives to be more active in protecting lives and properties.
“He mentioned his achievements, he pleaded for more time.
“We are in trouble. Honestly, the author of this speech is oblivious of the real situation in the country.
“Who killed people during the protest? Everybody that died during the protest was killed by the actions or inactions of the law enforcement agents.
“One wonders why no aspect of the President’s speech mentioned the unprofessional conduct of some of the security operatives or the group or individuals whose utterances and actions have the capability of fueling crises.
“While the President has not denied the right to a peaceful protest, I wonder why some individuals or leaders have not desisted from trying to paint genuine peaceful protesters in a bad light. If the organizers were in the same line of thought as most of you, trying to blackmail them against their rights,
“I am sure it would have been worse. The paid anti-protest campaigners and the pseudo-traditionalists should be ashamed of themselves after reading the speech. Obviously, not the President or any Nigerian, who understands where and how we are would have sent you on such an ignoble assignment to discourage the protest.
“You have asked me what the protest has achieved; do you still need an answer? The president has begged and promised to work harder, but honestly, he seems bereft of the solution to the nation’s problems.
“The quality of his team cannot win the nation’s battle against hardship. I sympathize with the President for the extent of ridicule he has found himself in. Deep down in him, he would wish 2027 came today, so that he could just go home and rest.”
