Controversial social media critic, Martin Otse, popularly known as VeryDarkMan, has publicly criticised Folashade, the daughter of President Bola Tinubu, for telling Nigerians to let her father govern for three years before accessing his tenure.
Folashade, the Iyaloja General of Nigeria, recently disclosed that Nigerians should be patient with her father while admonishing parents to stop their children from participating in the planned hunger protest scheduled for August 1 to 10.
Responding in a video on Monday, VeryDarkMan expressed his disapproval of the Folashade’s statement while urging her to, in turn, beg her father to desist from plunging Nigeria into more woes.
He argued that it was unreasonable to expect silence from the masses while the current administration exacerbates economic hardship.
He maintained that Tinubu’s first year in office was the worst so far and emphasised the severe impact of the drastic increase in fuel prices.
“Did you realize that people will not be complaining if your father does not have the first worst year in office in the history of Nigeria’s presidency?
“Warn your father, tell him that Nigerians are suffering. Talk to Daddy for us. Did you warn your dad when he went to protest against Goodluck Jonathan when he raised the fuel price from N65 to N87? The only thing I won’t approve of is that the protesters are violent. Stand for your rights, Nigerians.
“Protest, but don’t loot. Look at the prices of things. Fuel is N700 plus, and it is still not available. See the queues in gas stations. You can’t increase the price of things, and they will still not be available,” he said.
The country’s economic hardship has skyrocketed after former President Muhammadu Buhari left office, ushering in the new administration on May 29, 2023.
On the inauguration day, Tinubu declared that his administration would no longer subsidise fuel, hence calling for the end of the financing because it was beneficial to neighbouring countries.
His decision made the price of the Premium Motor Spirit rise from N185 to over N700.
Also, as part of his government’s reforms in the financial sector, the naira has embarked on a continuous free fall against the dollar after the Central Bank of Nigeria floated the currency to move towards market-determined interest rates.
This action has led to the instability of the naira to the dollar in the market, making it sell for between N1,200 and N1,500.
Meanwhile, both decisions — naira floating and subsidy removal — which are largely the factors determining the growth of the economy, are being held spellbound and have sent more Nigerians below the poverty level.
These have led to widespread calls for demonstrations across the country, with the presidential candidates of the Peoples Democratic Party and Labour Party, Atiku Abubakar, and Peter Obi, supporting the organisers.