The Coalition of United Political Parties (CUPP) has criticized President Bola Tinubu over his handling of the ongoing #Endbadgovernance protests in Nigeria, condemning his leadership style and attributing it to the current crises in the country.
In a statement signed by its spokesperson, Comrade Mark Adebayo, CUPP criticized the President for not directly addressing the nation in the buildup to the protests. They argued that this lack of direct communication and the provocative statements from government officials worsened the public’s anger.
The group stated, “A proactive president would have demonstrated leadership weeks ago by directly addressing the nation and giving some concessions that would have staved off or minimized the mass protests.” They accused President Tinubu of adopting a “sidon-look” and “I-don’t-care” attitude, which they believe has exacerbated the situation, causing economic and social turmoil.
CUPP expressed that had the President engaged with the protest organizers and other critical stakeholders, many of the deaths and destruction witnessed during the protests could have been avoided. They stressed that the public’s anger is justified due to widespread hunger and criticized high-profile officials for making insensitive remarks.
Furthermore, CUPP held President Tinubu and his administration responsible for the deaths and property damage occurring during the protests. They urged the government to take responsibility for not addressing the crisis earlier and called on security agencies to exercise restraint when dealing with protesters.
The coalition also appealed to Nigerians to avoid looting and criminal activities during the protests, emphasizing the importance of maintaining democracy. The #Endbadgovernance protest, which began on August 1, continues to gain momentum nationwide, although incidents of violence have been reported, allegedly involving sponsored hoodlums.