THE "AGE OF PROSPERITY" EXISTS ONLY IN ASO ROCK*—BAMOFIN LADIPO JOHNSON'S RESPONSE TO PRESIDENT TINUBU'S 66th INDEPENDENCE DAY ADDRESS

Press Statement:

October 1, 2026

*The "Age of Prosperity" Exists Only in Aso Rock*—Bamofin Ladipo Johnson's Response to President Tinubu's 66th Independence Day Address.

Fellow Nigerians,

This morning, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu addressed the nation to mark our 66th Independence Anniversary. While the Presidency would have us believe that Nigeria has safely crossed its "Red Sea" and entered an "Age of Prosperity," the painful reality on the ground for millions of citizens tells a completely different story. As a member of the opposition committed to the truth and the welfare of the Nigerian people, I find the President’s speech *detached, self-congratulatory, and profoundly insensitive to the daily struggles of ordinary citizens*.

Here is our direct rebuttal to the claims made in the presidential broadcast:

1. *The Myth of the "Age of Prosperity" vs. Market Reality*

The President declared that "the age of reform has done its work" and ushered in prosperity. I ask: Prosperity for whom?

• The Reality: While Aso Rock celebrates abstract statistics like GDP growth and $55 billion in foreign reserves, the average Nigerian is facing unprecedented food inflation, unaffordable transportation costs, and a collapsed middle class.

• My Stance: You cannot feed hungry citizens with macroeconomic spreadsheets. True prosperity is measured by the purchasing power of the Naira in local markets, not by selective benchmarks designed to mask widespread hardship.

2. *Dismissing Valid Dissent as "Regressive Siren Songs"*

President Tinubu actively dismissed critics of his subsidy and foreign exchange policies, labeling alternative economic solutions as "regressive voices" singing a "siren song."

• The Reality: To call the legitimate cries of suffering Nigerians and the constructive policy alternatives proposed by the opposition "regressive" is an insult to democratic dialogue. The total removal of petroleum subsidies without viable local refining capacity or functional safety nets is what created this economic crisis.

• My Stance: Stifling policy debate will not fix the economy. Labeling opposition recommendations as "addictive abuse" ignores the fact that your administration’s sudden policy shifts have pushed millions below the poverty line.

3. *Drowning, Not Crossing the Red Sea*

The administration insists that the "emergency treatment is over" and the foundation has been repaired.

• The Reality: The "treatment" has proven more lethal than the supposed ailment. Nigerians are not entering a "Promised Land" of abundance; they are actively drowning in a sea of insecurity, grid collapses, and skyrocketing energy costs.

• My Stance: The government cannot claim to have "corrected the course" when farmers still cannot access their lands due to banditry, and manufacturing plants are shutting down daily due to unbearable operational costs.

*The Opposition's Alternative Path Forward*

A lot of us believe Nigeria can achieve its founding promise, but it requires a fundamental shift from reckless experimentation to empathetic, production-driven governance:

*Production Over Taxation*: Shift focus from aggressive revenue extraction and high taxes to heavily incentivizing local manufacturing and small businesses.

• *True Energy Independence*: Rather than relying entirely on market forces that crush citizens, focus on fixing local distribution networks and completing state-owned refineries to permanently lower domestic fuel costs.

• *Accountable Social Safety Nets*: Replace tokenistic palliatives—which function merely as "poverty management"—with transparent, structured investments in public healthcare, education, and subsidized agricultural inputs.

On this 66th Independence Day, I urge Nigerians not to lose hope. The current hardship is not a permanent destiny; it is the result of flawed leadership. Positive change is entirely possible, and a nation that guarantees true opportunity, dignity, and shared prosperity is within our reach.

Signed,

*Bamofin Ladipo Johnson* 

NDC Lagos Central Senatorial Candidate.