BY JOHN ODHE
The Nigerian president, Bola Ahmed Tinubu used his 2026 Democracy Day address to commemorate 27 years of uninterrupted civilian rule, calling on citizens to embrace national unity.
However, the speech has drawn heavy criticism for downplaying the immediate socio-economic hardships and security challenges currently plaguing everyday Nigerians.
In the national broadcast, Tinubu defended his administration’s economic reforms, asserting that they were the essential “repairs” needed to secure long-term national prosperity.
He noted that his administration’s ‘Renewed Hope’ agenda was actively prioritizing consumer credit expansion, digital infrastructure, and local government financial autonomy to grassroots development.
Addressing national security, the president pointed to record-high budgetary allocations for defense and a growing police force, issuing a stern warning to bandits and kidnappers to surrender.
He also used the occasion to award national honours to pro-democracy figures and grant a posthumous pardon to the Ogoni Nine.
Despite these justifications, critics argue the speech is fundamentally disconnected from the daily realities of citizens suffering under hyperinflation.
Many Nigerians and opposition leaders remain skeptical, pointing out that despite the government’s security spending, kidnapping and banditry persist, while the highly-touted economic policies have yet to yield palpable “pocket” relief.
They express discomfort with what they describe as unbearable cost of living, querying the benefits of his economic reforms to the common Nigerians who bear the brunt of unending hardship which has almost become a lifestyle.
Mrs. Juliet Erefa, a petty trader in Yenagoa, said “what is the essence of economic reforms if for three good years the common man cannot breathe.? What is the meaning of economic reforms if the people it is meant for have to withdraw their children from school because of school fees?”
A tricycle rider in the Bayelsa State capital, Mr. Njoku Okeke, lamented that since the removal of fuel subsidy three years ago, life had become hell on earth, complaining that fuel hike had made mockery of his business.
“They said they will use the money from fuel subsidy removal to rebuild our ailing refineries. Three years after, how many refineries have been repaired?,” he questioned.
While the president’s call for constructive criticism and his willingness to acknowledge the challenges ahead are commendable, citizens say the address largely lacked concrete timelines to alleviate current suffering.
Observers also note that a prosperous democracy requires more than ceremonial speeches but demands tangible, immediate results for the populace.
