Nigerians have reacted to the chat that President Bola Tinubu had on Monday, December 23, at his Bourdillon residence in Lagos State.
In the chat where the President touched on economic reforms, security, tax bills, the size of his cabinet, and deadly stampedes over food sharing, among others, he promised to work more to reverse the current trend of hardship in the country.
According to ICIR, while some citizens lauded him, others faulted his positions during the chat – his first since he took over power on May 29, 2023.
Following the loss of lives due to stampedes in different parts of the country where foods and other items were shared preparatory to the Yuletide, Tinubu warned that those who do not have enough to share should stop publicising their events.
He sympathised with families who lost relations to the tragedies while noting that giving to the less privileged is good.
“I have been giving out foodstuff, commodities, etc., in Bourdillon. If you know you don’t have enough to give, don’t attempt or publicise,” the President stated.
Speaking on security, Tinubu expressed confidence in the national security architecture, cautioning that decades-long violence could not be solved overnight.
According to him, “It is safer now to travel on Nigerian roads,” unlike a few years back when he said he often paid condolence visits to victims of violence.
“Today, you can still travel the roads. Before now, it was impossible,” he said.
On the removal of the fuel subsidy, Tinubu defended his administration’s decision to remove the fuel subsidy and reconcile foreign exchange rates, describing them as necessary steps for Nigeria’s economic recovery.
Fielding questions on tax reform, whose bills before the National Assembly had generated controversies, Tinubu said the reform was good for a modern economy.
He reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to implementing tax reforms, describing them as non-negotiable for Nigeria’s economy.
“Tax reform is here to stay; we cannot continue to do what we were doing yesterday in today’s economy,” the President emphasised.
Acknowledging the hardships caused by his administration’s policies, Tinubu urged Nigerians to remain patient and hopeful. He said he was convinced that things would get better.
Meanwhile, Nigerians have reacted to the President’s positions during the chat. While some commended him, others scored him low.
A former media aide to former President Muhammadu Buhari, Bashir Ahmad, tweeting on his X handle, lauded the President for holding the chat.
“This was an excellent presidential media chat from President Tinubu. Kudos to his media team for making it happen. The President’s policies will pay off in the long run, and I personally believe that it is too early to give him marks; 18 months is not enough time to fully judge his administration,” he tweeted.
An X user with the name Isaac Olatunde said the President was vocal in his response to questions during the chat.
“President Bola Ahmed Tinubu did well during his media chat, and no President since independence has been as eloquent and sincere with his answers.”
An X user, Obiasogu David, raised some questions concerning the interview.
“Have you seen Tinubu’s media chat? Did you see the cut-and-join edits, the emptiness of thought, the embarrassing ‘mis-yarn,’ and the docility of the pressmen interviewing him?” he asked.
In his post, public affairs commentator Mahdi Shehu scored Tinubu low on his response to questions during the chat.
“Tinubu’s Belated Media Chart (sic): Tinubu’s responses to all the questions posed to him were × unintelligently answered × full of arrogance × Evasive × Lacking in a clear direction. × Rooted in guesses & derailment × Slippery slopes × Confirmation of tragedy in stewardship. × Depressive × Instilled fear and hopelessness. NB: Empty and nothing to celebrate,” he tweeted.
Reuben Abati, one of the anchors of Arise TV “Morning Show” and former spokesperson to former President Goodluck Jonathan, said on the show on Tuesday, December 24, that all his efforts to rattle the President during the interview did not succeed.
He also claimed he noticed the President had settled into the job.
“He is not all the things we used to say during the campaign period. He knows what he is doing. He spoke with a lot of confidence. In fact, I was shocked that they didn’t even prepare him,” Abati stated.
