Presidential adviser Bayo Onanuga has accused former Kaduna State governor, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, alongside a number of politicians, of allegedly working to unseat President Bola Tinubu.
Onanuga, in a statement shared on X on Monday, described the move as ironic, recalling that El-Rufai himself once acknowledged that four years was too short a period for any leader to deliver substantial change.
According to the presidential aide, Tinubu has already achieved more in just two years than many of his critics managed in their time in office.
“In contrast to the political laggards and underachievers who were once governors in Anambra, Rivers and Kaduna, President Tinubu and his team have implemented meaningful changes in our country over the past two years,” Onanuga wrote.
He argued that the administration has placed Nigeria firmly on the path to economic stability, citing recent gains in foreign reserves, which he said had climbed to their highest level in nearly four years. He also pointed to the Nigerian stock market, which, according to him, has added more than N26 trillion in value, with the All Share Index rising from 53,000 points to over 140,000.
Onanuga further highlighted improvements in fiscal and economic indicators:
“The administration has harmonised the exchange rate, reduced inflation for four straight months, grown GDP by N103.5 trillion in two years, and recorded balance of payment surpluses,” he stated.
He added that reforms such as the student loan programme through NELFUND and direct cash support to vulnerable Nigerians underscored the government’s commitment to inclusive growth.
“Indigent students are being supported with a revolutionary loan policy through NELFUND, vulnerable Nigerians are receiving cash from the Humanitarian Ministry, and national revenue has grown phenomenally,” he said.
Onanuga also stressed that state governments are enjoying increased revenue inflows from the Federation Account, enabling them to expand capital projects and job creation.
“Our national revenue has grown remarkably and will hit new records this year and next year when the tax reform takes off. States and local councils are now getting more money from the centre, allowing them to fund capital projects and create more jobs. The governors said they have never had it so good,” he noted.
The presidential aide dismissed those calling for Tinubu’s removal as desperate and politically displaced figures who had lost relevance in the current political dispensation.
“May they never succeed in their plot against our nation and people,” Onanuga said, adding that El-Rufai’s past remarks would be used against him in the heat of future political campaigns.
