Tinubu sticking to anti-masses policy – Afenifere

The pan-Yoruba socio-political group, Afenifere, says President Bola Tinubu has not addressed the real issues of the nationwide hunger protest.

Prince Justice Faloye, National Publicity Secretary of Afenifere loyal to the Ag. Leader Chief Ayo Adebanjo, while talking with our correspondent, said it was unfortunate that the president is sticking to anti-masses policy of retaining subsidy.

According to him, the president’s speech has not addressed the problem of hunger in the land.

He said, “We never believed that just calling for dialogue would change anything. He has never changed. His neo-liberal economy is the problem – the removal of fuel subsidy and the floating of the naira and he’s bent on continuing it and he does not feel any remorse on how he wants to change but really I don’t think he will change.

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“It is unfortunate because we have seen so many countries where these neo-liberal economic policies have not worked.

“I think he was pushed to read the speech because it was not a matter of dialogue or him addressing people about the exact policy that brought hunger and since he is not willing to reverse or accept responsibility, because he more or less said it was politically motivated.

“When he started and he said specifically that subsidy is dead, he said you can protest as much as you like. He said that. He knew that his policies were going to bring protest. At his age he knows that there have been all sorts of protests against subsidy removal.”

The Afenifere spokesman stated that it was disingenuous for the president to tag the protest politically motivated when he also called for protest under the administration of Goodluck Jonathan.

“It is the same thing that happened under former President Goodluck Jonathan and he (Tinubu) called for a revolution or protest and when he is facing the same thing and even worse, he is blaming other people.”

Also speaking, another chieftain of Afenifere and former Deputy Governor of Lagos State, Chief Kofoworola Bucknor Akerele, said she was disappointed in the speech.

She said the speech had not addressed the issues of the protest, especially insecurity which has made it difficult for farmers to go to their farms and make food available in abundance.