The Labour Party presidential candidate in the 2023 general election, Peter Obi, has called on President Bola Tinubu to shift his focus from the country’s problems to providing tangible solutions.

Starting Thursday, August 1, thousands of Nigerians, mostly young people, took to the streets of major cities such as Lagos and Abuja to pressure the government to reverse what they see as harmful economic policies.

The unrest follows Tinubu’s announcement last year to eliminate fuel subsidies and liberalise foreign exchange, which has raised living costs and driven inflation to record highs.

In a nationwide address on Sunday morning, Tinubu defended his decision to remove petrol subsidies, saying, “These decisions I made were necessary if we must reverse the decades of economic mismanagement that didn’t serve us well.

Meanwhile, Obi, reacting to the president’s address, noted that Tinubu’s speech focused too much on past issues rather than present solutions and the future.

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Obi, however, requests that Tinubu reduce the repetition of how dire the situation is, noting that “every Nigerian is already aware of the extent of the problems. ”

He added that Tinubu should have begun his address by addressing pressing issues such as the exorbitant cost of governance, measures to tackle corruption, the high cost of living, and directing resources effectively towards critical areas like health, education, and poverty alleviation.

Obi noted that persistent issues of corruption and mismanagement of public funds must be addressed decisively and suggested regular briefings from the president, either quarterly or biannually, to communicate the visible and verifiable measures being taken to revive the nation from its hopelessness.

Obi stated, “I respectfully reiterate that the President should declare a war on insecurity, the economy, poverty, unemployment, and the power sector.

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“Persistent issues of corruption and mismanagement of public funds must be addressed decisively. As is done in other nations during such times, regular briefings, whether quarterly or biannually, from the President, are essential to clearly communicate the visible and verifiable measures being taken to revive the nation from its current state of hopelessness, restore hope, and rebuild trust in our country. I also humbly request that the President reduce the repetition of how dire the situation is; every Nigerian is already aware of the extent of the problems. Mr President, you and your team were elected not just to witness the protests but to alleviate the suffering of the people.

“Nigerians do not expect the President to solve the nation’s problems overnight, but we do expect a concerted effort to address the mismanagement of public resources, reduce the high cost of governance, and tackle issues like insecurity, corruption, electricity, agriculture, and productivity to set the country on a path to recovery and growth. By doing so, the President can restore hope and rekindle the people’s faith in our dear country, Nigeria.”

He, however, urged the president to surround himself with advisors who will present him with the unvarnished truth, rather than sycophants who may be shielding him from the reality of the situation.