Tinubu Aide Accuses Critics Of Plotting Against Government Amid Hardship

As frustration grows over Nigeria’s harsh economic conditions, President Bola Tinubu’s media adviser, Bayo Onanuga, has fired back at critics, accusing them of attempting to sabotage what he described as a transformative administration.

In a social media post shared on Tuesday, Onanuga referenced a 2022 warning by former Emir of Kano and ex-Central Bank governor, Muhammadu Sanusi II, to justify the government’s painful economic reforms. He said Sanusi had already warned Nigerians to brace for tough times under any serious leadership that planned to fix the country.

Onanuga claimed the Tinubu administration has been consistent about its position that meaningful reform would come with discomfort. He argued that despite this honesty, some groups are allegedly plotting to unseat the government, which he described as Nigeria’s most focused in recent history.

The backlash comes as citizens continue to grapple with rising food prices, inflation, fuel scarcity, and a weakening naira—developments many blame on the government’s removal of fuel subsidies, floating of the currency, and other monetary policies.

The former Emir’s comments, made during a public lecture in Kaduna in 2022, warned Nigerians not to trust politicians who promise ease and comfort without addressing the country’s structural problems. Sanusi had said that real leadership would have to take tough, unpopular decisions—particularly around electricity tariffs and fuel subsidies—if Nigeria was to recover from its deepening economic crisis.

According to Sanusi, Nigeria’s level of debt, poverty, and revenue collapse makes it impossible to move forward without reforms, even if those reforms are painful. He also insisted that any fuel subsidy system must be transparent, calling for scrutiny and proof of fuel importation claims by previous governments.

Onanuga pointed to these statements as validation of Tinubu’s policy direction, implying that Nigerians had been forewarned about what a real reform agenda would involve. He dismissed critics as enemies of national progress and accused them of mobilising to undermine the government.

While the presidency remains adamant that its decisions are in the best interest of long-term national development, many Nigerians have expressed growing disappointment. From organised labour to civil society and opposition politicians, concerns have been raised over the worsening living conditions and what they call the government’s failure to cushion the effects of its policies.

Despite the criticism, the Tinubu administration has stood by its reforms, urging citizens to be patient and insisting that the pain being felt is a necessary step toward economic recovery. However, with rising discontent and hardship spreading across the country, questions continue to mount over how long Nigerians can wait—and how much more they can endure.