The Presidency has fired back at critics of President Bola Tinubu, accusing Nigerians of having a “short memory” and forgetting the dire state of the country before Tinubu took office.
Speaking on AriseNews on Saturday May 31, Special Adviser on Information and Strategy to the President, Bayo Onanuga said many Nigerians are quick to blame Tinubu for current hardships, while ignoring the fuel shortages and economic instability that predated his administration.
“Many Nigerians exhibit the problem of lack of memory. We forget where we started from and just blame Tinubu for all the problems.” Onanuga said.
He pointed to the widespread fuel scarcity during the 2023 election period, emphasizing that the crisis wasn’t caused by Tinubu, but inherited.
“In May 2023, when Tinubu took over, there was already a fuel shortage. People seem to forget that.”
Defending the controversial removal of fuel subsidy on Tinubu’s first day in office, Onanuga argued that the move was necessary.
He claimed the NNPC, burdened by a ₦4 trillion federal debt and unpaid foreign suppliers, had little choice but to hike pump prices and resume fuel imports.
“There was no way Nigeria could have sustained the fuel subsidy regime. We were burning through money meant for future generations.” He added.
Onanuga acknowledged the fallout from the policy, including rising living costs and economic strain, but insisted the administration is working tirelessly to ease the burden.
“This government has been honest about the challenges and is taking steps to bring relief”. He noted.
His comments come amid growing public frustration over inflation, fuel prices, and the pace of economic recovery under the Tinubu administration.
