There were mixed reactions on Thursday over President Muhammadu Buhari’s speech to commemorate the 60 years of Nigeria’s independence.
Some Nigerians, including artisans, traders, economists, political scientists and the leading opposition, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) took a swipe at the president by describing his speech as “uninspiring”.
They specifically expressed displeasure over his justification of the increase in petrol price by making a comparison with other oil-producing countries without taking note of economic realities in Nigeria occasioned by low income and poor infrastructure.
But some people, who spoke to our reporters, defended the president, saying he was right to have told Nigerians the truth instead of telling lies about economic realities.
President Buhari had during his independence speech said that; “it makes no sense for oil to be cheaper in Nigeria than in Saudi Arabia”, saying the product is equally more expensive in Chad, Niger, Ghana, Egypt.
He ruled out the possibility of returning to what happened before the deregulation of the petroleum industry, saying a responsible government must face realities and take tough decisions.
According to him: “We sell petrol at N161 per litre.
“A comparison with our neighbours will illustrate the point; Chad, which is an oil-producing country, charges N362 per litre.
“Niger, also an oil-producing country, sells 1 litre at N346.
“In Ghana, another oil-producing country, the petroleum pump price is N326 per litre.
“Further afield, Egypt charges N211 per litre.
“Saudi Arabia charges N168 per litre.
“It makes no sense for oil to be cheaper in Nigeria than in Saudi Arabia.
“In this regard, sustaining the level of petroleum prices is no longer possible.
“The government, since coming into office, has recognised the economic argument for adjusting the price of petroleum.
“But the social argument about the knock-on effect of any adjustment weighed heavily with the government,” he said.
- ‘Our government is the best’
President Buhari said more than any other government, the APC-led administration had touched the lives of Nigerians positively.
“…In the last three years, we have introduced unprecedented measures in support of the economy and to the weakest members of our society in the shape of Tradermoni, Farmermoni, school feeding programme, job creation efforts, and agricultural intervention programmes.
“No government in the past did what we are doing with such scarce resources.
“We have managed to keep things going in spite of the disproportionate spending on security.
“Those in the previous governments from 1999 – 2015 who presided over the near destruction of the country have now the impudence to attempt to criticise our efforts.
“In the circumstances, a responsible government must face realities and take tough decisions.
“Petroleum prices in Nigeria are to be adjusted,” he said.
Glamour in Abuja, anger in states
Daily Trust reports that after his address to the nation, President Buhari went to the Eagle Square in Abuja where he reviewed the anniversary parade and participated in other activities.
The President rode in his Special Parade Vehicle with Commander Guards Brigade.
Other activities carried out to mark the occasion included colour patrol by members of different security agencies including Nigeria Air Force Air Display, 21 Gun-Salute and National Salute.
The highlight of the occasion was the signing of Anniversary Register by President Buhari, who was joined by his wife, Aisha; Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo; Senate President, Ahmed Lawan; Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila; Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Ibrahim Tanko Muhammad Tanko; and the Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Adamu.
Former Head of State, General Yakubu Gowon (rtd); and President Goodluck Jonathan and his wife, Patience, also joined the president to sign the register.
But thousands of Nigerians were Thursday barred from attending the 60th Independence Anniversary celebration at the Eagle Square, Abuja.
Our correspondents saw Nigerians, who were prevented from witnessing the event, expressing disappointment over the development.
As early as 8 am, security personnel had been directed to stop joyous Nigerians eager to witness the occasion.
Mr Damilola Odumosu, a Lagos-based legal practitioner, said: “As a taxpayer, it will be unfair on the part of the government to compare Nigeria with others that have a system that is working.
Another Lagos resident, Amidu Arije, said at a time when other countries were giving palliatives, Nigerian leaders were trying to justify their plans to increase the price of fuel.
“This is quite unfair on the part of the president,” he said.
In Rivers, Port Harcourt, Gibson Ofolo said that President Buhari’s comment was insensitive to the plight of millions of Nigerians who he said were struggling to eke out a living.
Another resident of Port Harcourt, Ogolo Emmanuel, called on the federal government not to contemplate increasing the price of petrol, saying it would be resisted.
Malam Ibrahim Aminu, a class teacher in Jos, said; “personally, I was disappointed with the statement.
“If there is anything he would tell Nigerians should not be this because you can’t compare the well- being of citizens of other countries with that of Nigeria.
“I am not happy at all.”
Umar Lurwanu, another Jos resident, however, said Mr. President was right to make that statement, saying that this was the reality across the world.
“To me, this should not be an issue because it is good for Nigerians to know what is happening around the globe to enable then understand reality.
“It is better to inform those that are not aware of what is going on everywhere.”
The Chairman, National Union of Road Transport Worker, Baga, Borno State, Babagana Zanna, said the sharp increase in the petrol pump price was as a result of some economic reasons and meant to boost the national income but that it was ill-timed.
“The president did not lie, Nigerian fuel is cheaper than that of Niger, Chad and Cameroon and that explained why it is being smuggled and sold therein large quantities.
“I frequent major towns in Niger and Chad as commercial driver; residents there, especially in border towns, relied on our oil,” he said.
However, financial expert and marriage counsellor in Maiduguri, Mr Dennis Ayara, said: “The president, who had promised in 2015 to do turnaround maintenance (TAM) of refineries but failed to have any functional refinery in 2020; he had promised to build a new refinery and failed to do so.
“Instead of appealing to Nigerians, he increased oil price, this is unfortunate.”
Stop making mockery of us – NLC
The Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) on Thursday chided Nigerian leaders over their inability to refine crude oil locally after 60 years of the country’s existence.
Ayuba Wabba, the President of NLC, in a statement after the celebration of October 1, 2020, Independence Anniversary, which held at Eagle Square in Abuja, also said it was sad that after 60 years of nationhood, Nigeria’s political elite still prefer to send their children to schools abroad and treat themselves in foreign hospitals.
‘‘We make a huge mockery of the biggest assemblage of black people on the planet if at sixty years we are unable to refine our own crude oil.
“Indeed, Nigeria is the only OPEC country suffering from this self-inflicted malaise.
‘‘It is sad that at 60 years, our political leaders still prefer to send their children to schools abroad and treat themselves in foreign hospitals since our public schools and hospitals have been so terribly mismanaged,’’ the labour leader said.
Wabba maintained that the organised labour at the meeting, which held last Sunday and spilt over till Monday morning forced the federal government to reduce the electricity tariff to the old price.
According to him, the labour unions would also, force President Buhari-led government to overhaul Nigeria’s four refineries and reduce the price of fuel for already burdened Nigerian workers.
Protests in Lagos, Abuja, Osogbo
For the umpteenth time, security agencies in Lagos clamped down on #RevolutionNow protesters and arrested scores of them.
Some 30 suspected members of the group were reportedly nabbed at Ojuelegba area of the state while embarking on a protest.
Many people, including a journalist with one of the national newspapers, were injured.
#RevolutionNow, according to its sponsors, is a civil advocacy and democratic action convened to challenge “the ravenous revolution of the ruling elite that have for decades put our nation and the common man in bondage.”
Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, Muyiwa Adejobi, confirmed that 30 protesters were nabbed.
Adejobi said those arrested would have been arraigned in court on Thursday if not for the public holiday.
He, however, said that the suspects would have their day in court on Friday.
In Abuja, members of the #RevolutionNow activists protested at the United States Embassy in the FCT.
The protesters, led by the convener of the movement, Omoyele Sowore, displayed banners with inscriptions, including: ‘Buhari has failed,’ and ‘Failed leadership has made Nigeria the capital of the world’ among others.
They demanded the resignation of President Buhari over increasing insecurity, hunger and corruption in the country.
The protesters also included #BringBackOurGirls activist, Aisha Yesufu, Ariyo Dare-Atoye, Henry Shield, Adebayo Raphael, and Deji Adeyanju of Concerned Nigerians, among others.
In Osun, operatives of DSS, on Thursday, arrested some youths protesting over hardship.
The youths said they were protesting against bad governance as they lamented that the masses were suffering.
After the arrest of some of the protesters, others regrouped under the aegis of Coalition for Revolution (CORE) and continued the protest on major streets in the state capital.
Speech a slap on Nigerians – PDP
The PDP Thursday described the economic assertions in President Muhammadu Buhari’s independence anniversary speech as a “huge slap” on the sensibilities of Nigerians.
In a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan the PDP said President Buhari’s attempt to justify the recent increase of fuel price in Nigeria by comparing it with Saudi Arabia was a morbid joke.
The party said the minimum wage in Saudi Arabia is N305, 113 (3000 Saudi Riyals), ten times higher than the N30, 000 minimum wage which is “largely unimplemented” in Nigeria.
“Is Mr. President not aware that, on the average, a person working in Saudi Arabia earns around 4,230SAR (N430, 267) to 16,700 SAR (N1, 698,693) per month?
“Our party charges Mr. President to always check his books before making such offensive comparisons including the price in Egypt where monthly average earning is around N222, 841 (9,200 EGP) against our N30,000,” it said.
Speaking to Daily Trust, on Thursday, on Buhari’s speech, an economist, Dr Aminu Usman, a lecturer with the Kaduna State University and a member of Daily Trust’s Board of Economists said if there should be a comparison, the starting point should be the minimum wage of the two countries.
The Economist said the point the president was trying to make was that the petrol price increase was inevitable due to the reduction in cash flow.
He said he suspected the president had indirectly told Nigerians to expect further price hikes.
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