Bolaji Abdullahi, National Publicity Secretary of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), has issued a critical birthday message to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu as he turns 74.

In a post on his X handle on Sunday, Abdullahi decried the rising insecurity, economic hardship, and surge in fuel prices across the country.

He urged the President to focus on delivering effective leadership in what he described as his final year in office.

He alleged that under the present administration, fuel prices had risen by nearly 500 per cent, a situation he said had turned basic transportation into a daily calculation of survival.

“As you mark another year, Nigerians reflect on a presidency whose impact is now impossible to ignore. Under your watch, fuel prices have risen by nearly 500%, turning basic transportation into a daily calculation of survival.

“Under your leadership, Nigeria has climbed to 4th on the Global Terrorism Index, while thousands of lives have been lost to violence, families shattered, and communities displaced. Every hour, a Nigerian is killed by insurgents.

“Under your presidency, insecurity has not just persisted, it has adapted, expanded, and, at times, been met with language that blurs accountability, where those who terrorize Nigerians are referred to as ‘sons’ and ‘brothers,’ even as their victims bury loved ones.

“Under your leadership, the economic strain on Nigerians has deepened, the cost of living has surged, and the ‘Renewed Hope’ that you promised has turned to hopelessness for millions of Nigerian families.”

He also accused Tinubu of moves that could push Nigeria towards a one-party state, urging the President to demonstrate a greater sense of responsibility in governing the country.

“And under your watch, the political space is narrowing, raising real concerns about the steady drift toward a one-party state, in a democracy that was fought for with blood, sweat and tears.

“But birthdays are for reflection. So as you celebrate your final year in office, Nigerians can only offer a prayer, that this next year brings a sudden and unfamiliar miracle: that you begin to take governance more seriously; that you finally see the loss of lives under your watch as a failure of your leadership; and that you begin, at the very least, to act with the weight and responsibility of leading the world’s most populous Black nation.

“Wishing you good health, improved judgment, and a sense of responsibility to the people you govern. Happy Birthday, Mr. President!” he added. (Weekend Trust, excluding headline)

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