By Chibuike Nwabuko
ABUJA (PRECISE POST) – Veteran journalist and publisher, Dele Momodu, has criticised President Bola Tinubu’s 66th Independence Day address, describing the speech as disappointing and accusing the administration of worsening the country’s economic and security challenges.
Momodu, in a statement posted on his X handle on Thursday, congratulated Tinubu on Nigeria’s 66th Independence anniversary but said he was “not impressed” by the President’s broadcast.
According to him, an occasion meant for national celebration was turned into “a day of lamentation” by the President’s speech.
Momodu particularly took issue with Tinubu’s description of Nigeria as a cancer patient that had previously survived on painkillers before his administration came in as a “celebrated surgeon.”He said the analogy was inappropriate, arguing that the administration ought to have stabilised the country rather than worsen its condition.
“At the time you assumed power, Nigeria probably had stage two cancer, at the worst. You were expected to stabilize it and not to metastasize it into a stage four cancer,” Momodu wrote.
He also criticised the administration’s decision to remove the petrol subsidy, describing it as a “misadventure” and saying he had expected the President to apologise for what he called a “medical calamity.”
Momodu further challenged the administration’s claims of progress, citing increased revenue, additional borrowing, worsening insecurity and poverty, what he described as profligacy, and the perceived prioritisation of elections over governance.
He wrote: “So, Nigeria has made more money, amassed more loans, insecurity has increased, poverty has escalated, profligacy is palpable, politicians have remained insensitive, elections have taken priority over governance, renewed hope has collapsed into hopelessness and abject despair.”
The publisher said many Nigerians had lost confidence in the administration’s promises and questioned whether citizens would continue to accept what he described as “endless excuses,” particularly with the next elections less than three months away.
While acknowledging that four years might not be enough to resolve all of Nigeria’s challenges, Momodu argued that citizens should by now be seeing clearer signs of improvement.
“Four years may not be able to contain and solve all our problems but the HOPE should be glaring by now,” he said.
Precise Post recalls that Presudent Bola Tinubu in his independence day address highlighted that the reforms has administration embarked upon did not create the weakness in the economy.
“Our reforms did not create the weaknesses in our economy. They confronted them. Now, as certain influential but regressive voices would have us abandon the treatment and return ourselves to the abuse of addictive subsidies, we must resist their siren song. We must remember why we began this journey and how far we have already come.”
“Three and a half years later, the evidence that Nigeria’s economic outlook has improved is undeniable. Our economy has grown by over 4 per cent this year. Both oil and non-oil sectors have contributed to the renewed period of stable growth”.
“Oil theft is down. Inflation has fallen substantially from its peak. Our foreign reserves have been rebuilt, our foreign exchange market has stabilised, and in 2025 this country recorded its highest revenue from non-oil exports in its history, exceeding $6 billion. This is real money being made by real Nigerian businesses.”
“These are not idle claims. International observers, journalists, NGOs and multilateral institutions can see the change. Each has concluded that our reforms have strengthened Nigeria’s economic stability and resilience. The private sector has long since delivered its verdict, and foreign direct investment continues to rise each year.”
