Bayo Onanuga Slams Atiku Over Incessant Criticism of Tinubu

Posted by Nwa Diokpa Featured, Latest Headlines, News Across Nigeria Friday, May 30th, 2025

(AFRICAN EXAMINER) – Bayo Onanuga, the special adviser to President Bola Tinubu on information and strategy, has stated that former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar’s consistent criticism of his principal is caused by animosity.

Onanuga stated this on Thursday as he responded to Atiku’s assessment of Tinubu’s second year in office.

According to Onanuga, in two years, Tinubu has done the “most ambitious and audacious” economic and institutional reforms that have never happened in the country before for decades.

“Atiku’s sweeping criticism is unfair and appears to be driven more by animosity than objective analysis,” the statement reads.

“Unless former Vice President Atiku allowed personal grievances to cloud his judgment, he should, in good conscience, acknowledge the significant progress and positive achievements made by this administration over the past two years.”\

The aide disclosed that Tinubu never promised that his reforms would be easy however, he was certain that they were necessary to salvage Nigeria from fiscal collapse because of unsustainable spending.

Onanuga disclosed that the removal of the subsidy on petrol and the unification of the foreign exchange market were policies that, although the previous administrations deemed necessary, were implemented.

According to Onanuga, unlike Abubakar and a few critics, “everyone” believes that the reforms have stabilised government finances, cut systemic corruption, and brought direct investments into social programmes and infrastructure.

“Foreign investors now see Nigeria as an irresistible destination. Since 2023, the Nigerian exchange has seen its ASI jump from 50,000 to over 110,000, and market capitalisation has increased to N69.4 trillion, from about N30 trillion before Tinubu’s ascension,” he said.

He berated Atiku for saying that the policies of Tinubu only favour the rich and punish the poor, adding that the present administration has implemented social safety nets, introduced targeted interventions for low-income households and increased the minimum wage from N30,000 to N70,000.

According to Onanuga, Abubakar’s remark that education has become a luxury for poor Nigerians is “entirely off the mark”.

“Everyone knows the claim is false. It is just an attempt to throw any muck at Bola Tinubu,” he said.

Onanuga also disclosed that Tinubu’s administration has done a lot in medical care, including revitalising primary health centres and expanding health insurance, and working to reduce the cost of medicines.

He said Abubakar “ignorantly” accused the present administration of borrowing fresh money to assist the 2025 budget, saying that the former vice-president “relied on social media gossip”.

“The finance minister has debunked this as untrue and said that even this year, the government only wants to borrow about $1.2 billion,” Onanuga said.

“Because Atiku does not like Bola Tinubu’s guts, he forgets to credit his administration with some of the fiscal achievements in the last two years. Revenue has increased phenomenally.

“The debt service ratio to revenue has declined from 93 per cent to 60 per cent. This government has paid off the $3.4 billion IMF loan obtained in the COVID years.

“The current administration has discontinued Ways & Means deficit financing for the first time in decades.

“State revenue has risen, and subnational governments now have greater resources for local development and to pay their debts.”

Onanuga was of the view that criticism must be constructive, and Atiku should also offer a solution when he kicks against government policies.

“Otherwise, his opposition statements will be dismissed as mere partisan rhetoric and cheap talk,” he said.