Presidential Adviser on Media and Information Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, has said many Nigerians unfairly blame President Bola Tinubu for the country’s challenges, forgetting the difficult conditions that existed before he took office.
Speaking during an interview on Arise TV on Friday, Onanuga stated that many citizens have short memory and overlook the economic and fuel crises inherited by the current administration.
We forget where we started from and we just start blaming President Tinubu for all the problems that Nigeria is going through, Onanuga said.
He recalled that Nigeria was already grappling with a major fuel shortage before Tinubu assumed office in May 2023, noting that queues and scarcity were widespread during the election season.
According to him, the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC), the sole importer of fuel at the time, had scaled back imports due to the government’s unpaid ₦4 trillion subsidy debt, which also left NNPC indebted to foreign suppliers.
It was against this backdrop, Onanuga explained, that President Tinubu removed the fuel subsidy on his first day in office — a move he described as necessary and bold.
The President had to act. NNPC wasn’t willing to import fuel anymore. Tinubu’s decision helped revive fuel supply, he said.
Onanuga emphasized that the subsidy regime was unsustainable, draining resources that could benefit future generations.
The government had to do the right thing. Yes, there were consequences, but the country couldn’t continue that way, he added.
He acknowledged the hardship caused by the reforms but noted that the Tinubu administration has been transparent and proactive in introducing relief measures.
Highlighting progress made, Onanuga pointed to the administration’s efforts to stabilize the foreign exchange system, which he said had been plagued by arbitrage and inefficiency under past governments.
Give the President some credit. He has stopped the forex arbitrage that flourished under previous administrations, including PDP, he said. The reforms are working, and their benefits are beginning to show.
Onanuga concluded by urging Nigerians to recognize the efforts being made and to judge the administration based on its long-term impact rather than immediate discomfort.