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From Adesuwa Tsan, Abuja
The National Democratic Congress (NDC) National Campaign Council has mocked President Bola Tinubu over the failure of the national emergency number, 112, during a live television demonstration by his campaign spokesperson, Mallam Alwan Hassan.
The council described the incident as a national embarrassment and a reflection of what it called the failure of the All Progressives Congress (APC)-led administration, questioning the government’s capacity to protect Nigerians in emergencies.
In a statement yesterday, by its spokesperson, Dr Chiogo Ikokwu, the council said the failed demonstration had exposed the gap between the government’s claims and the reality of public services in the country.
It said the failure of the emergency line during what should have been a straightforward demonstration raised serious concerns about the state of Nigeria’s emergency response infrastructure and the preparedness of the government to protect lives.
The council dismissed the explanation that the failure was caused by network problems, insisting that Nigerians needed a functional emergency response system rather than excuses.
“When Nigerians face accidents, violent attacks, medical emergencies or other life-threatening situations, they need a responsive emergency system, not government propaganda and television performances.
“Giving an excuse that the line did not work because of ‘network issues’ does not cut it at all. We ask the APC government to stop giving excuses and get things moving,” it said.
The NDC campaign council argued that the incident was not an isolated failure, citing insecurity, poorly equipped hospitals, unreliable public infrastructure, failing institutions and the rising cost of living as evidence of what it described as the administration’s poor performance.
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It accused the government of being more interested in defending its record and projecting a positive image than addressing the challenges confronting ordinary Nigerians.
“What makes this particularly troubling is the government’s apparent obsession with defending its record rather than fixing the problems. Public resources, government machinery and official platforms should be deployed to deliver results, not manufacture positive headlines.
“Governance is not about what the government spokespersons say on television; it is about what ordinary Nigerians experience when they need their government most,” the statement added.
The council further described the failed demonstration as evidence of a government more concerned about public relations than the delivery of essential services.
“A government that cannot demonstrate that its emergency line works should be more concerned about fixing the system than staging public relations exercises. What we saw was a failed APC, failed 112 emergency line, failed everything,” it said.
It called on the Tinubu administration to admit its alleged failures and prepare to leave office in 2027, paving the way for an NDC government led by its presidential candidate, Peter Obi and his running mate, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso.
The council said the proposed administration would address the country’s challenges and restore good governance.
“Nigerians deserve a government that works, institutions that function and public services that can be trusted when lives are on the line. Public safety is not a propaganda exercise. And the lives of Nigerians are too important to be reduced to a failed television demonstration,” it said.
