President Bola Tinubu’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, has criticised opposition politicians who faulted the President’s Independence Day address, accusing them of overlooking key points raised in the speech.
Onanuga made his position known in a post on X on Friday, arguing that some of the politicians had already prepared their responses before Tinubu delivered his October 1 address.
According to the presidential aide, the critics failed to acknowledge what he described as an “immutable truth” contained in the President’s speech.
Onanuga wrote, “The politicians criticising President Tinubu’s October 1 speech apparently hadn’t read it. They seemed to have prepared their reactions before the speech was delivered on network TV and radio.”
He then highlighted what he said was a key message from Tinubu’s address, particularly the administration’s position on its economic reforms.
“Here is one immutable truth from the speech, which they pretended not to have heard and which is beyond dispute,” Onanuga stated.
Quoting the President, he said the reforms were not responsible for the weaknesses confronting the Nigerian economy but were introduced to address existing problems.
“Our reforms did not create the weaknesses in our economy. They confronted them,” the statement quoted Tinubu as saying.
The President, according to Onanuga, also warned against calls to reverse the administration’s economic policies and return to subsidy arrangements.
“We must resist their siren song. We must remember why we began this journey and how far we have already come,” Tinubu was quoted as saying.
Onanuga further cited Tinubu’s claim that Nigeria’s economic outlook had improved after three and a half years of reforms.
“Three and a half years later, the evidence that Nigeria’s economic outlook has improved is undeniable. Our economy has grown by over 4 per cent this year. Both oil and non-oil sectors have contributed to the renewed period of stable growth,” Tinubu said, according to the presidential aide.
