PRESS RELEASE

@NGRPresident failed to provide a credible defence of @officialABAT's failures in tackling Nigeria's economic challenges

*Yes, @atiku offered better policy options to Tinubu’s morbid prescriptions

The Presidential Spokesman, Bayo Onanuga, failed to provide a credible defence of Bola Tinubu’s failures in tackling the economic challenges facing the country. In his characteristic manner, he resorts to insults and name-calling.

He demonstrates ignorance of the happenings around him - as he denies, for example, that Bola Tinubu’s policies are creating excruciating pain and causing despair. We wish to respond to him as follows.

Point 1: Did Atiku Abubakar offer any better policy options in his run for the presidency?

Yes, he did. His living prescriptions contrast sharply with Bola Tinubu’s morbid policies. Atiku’s policy document, My Covenant With Nigerians, offers a clearly defined and robust roadmap for the socio-political and economic transformation of Nigeria. On the economy, the policy document outlines the challenges we face and our vision to get the economy on its feet and create prosperity.

If @aonanuga1956 desires, he can have a copy for free!

Point 2: That all the major presidential candidates supported withdrawal of subsidy on PMS.

But so, what? Even if all the major candidates agreed that the fuel subsidy regime must end and that the multiple exchange rates must be fixed, this would not translate into endorsing Bola Tinubu’s failures in implementation.
The truth is that unlike Atiku, Tinubu did not understand the reforms he embarked upon and had no idea what steps to take to mitigate their negative impact.

As a leader with foresight, Atiku anticipated that the withdrawal of subsidy including the youth and adults with no incomes.

The former Vice President, therefore, pledged to support Nigeria’s businesses by creating an Economic Stimulus Fund with an initial investment capacity of approximately US$10 billion to prioritize support to MSMEs across all the economic sectors, as they offer the greatest opportunities for achieving inclusive growth. The Fund was designed to make it easier for Nigeria’s 60 million micro and small enterprises to navigate the stormy seas in the aftermath of the withdrawal of subsidy on PMS.

In contrast, Bola Tinubu offered a paltry N125 billion to help the MSMEs, which at today’s exchange rate is no more than US100 million. Of course, Bayo Onanuga is aware that the pledge is yet to be redeemed by the president.

Atiku also pledged to implement a robust social investment programme to support the poor and vulnerable with CCTs. Atiku’s support to the poor and vulnerable would include prioritized actions to address the challenges of displacement and the sufferings of IDPs across the country.

In contrast, the funds for Tinubu’s CCT were cornered by his officials in the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs. Alongside the Economic Stimulus Fund, Atiku pledged to launch a uniquely designed skills-to-job programme that would target all categories of youth, including graduates, early school leavers as well as the massive numbers of uneducated youth who are currently not in education, employment, or training.

As a leader of vision, Atiku was ready for the potential fallout of his policies. Bola Tinubu was clearly not ready.

It was only after he unleashed his morbid reforms that he started groping in the dark, looking for solutions. We all recall that in October 2023, the Financial Times of London @FT rebuked Bola Tinubu for announcing plans without ideas for how to implement them.

Point 3: Is the private sector not overburdened by Tinubu’s failure to address the aftermath of his policies?

Would Bayo Onanuga deny that Unilever, GlaxoSmithKline (GSK), Procter & Gamble (P&G), Sanofi-Aventi Nigeria, Bolt Food, Equinor etc had exited Nigeria citing reasons
including foreign exchange complexities, security concerns, and high operational costs?

Bayo Onanuga must be living in a dream world outside the shores of Nigeria.

Point 4: Is Bayo Onanuga denying that cost-of-living pressures have intensified since May 2023?

He needs to read the official statistics from the National Bureau of Statistics: The annual inflation rate reached a nearly 30-year high of 28.9% in December 2023, up from 28.2% in November.

Would Bayo Onanuga deny that food prices, which constitute a significant portion of the Consumer Price Index (CPI) basket, soared to 33.9% in December, the highest level since August 2005? Would he also deny that in many states of the federation, citizens have blocked roads in protest? Just yesterday morning (Monday, February 5), it was reported that hundreds of residents of Minna in Niger State blocked major roads to protest hunger and the high cost of living in the country.

Only failed leaders play the ostrich and live in self-denial.

Point 5: The Presidency’s response is full of lamentations and resorted to blame game. It is a familiar road travelled by the ruling party!

It has become fashionable for every APC-led government to blame others, especially the opposition and external factors for Nigeria’s economic woes. Now, Tinubu is elevating the blame game to the NEXT LEVEL as he accuses his own party of lacklustre performance.

The evidence, however, is overwhelming. Tinubu’s under-performance is largely attributable to leadership failures in the management of the economy. The failure of leadership by the APC-led government is staring every Nigerian in the face as the country’s economic, social, political, and security challenges persist and assume frightening dimensions.

An unprepared leadership such as Bola Tinubu’s fails to anticipate impending crisis and is always slow to react.

Signed:
@OfficialPaulIbe
Media Adviser to @atiku
Vice President of Nigeria, 1999-2007 and Presidential candidate of @OfficialPDPNig in the 2023 election

Previous Thread:
https://www.nairaland.com/7991228/atiku-abubakar-new-hobby-bayo#128294290

Nigeria is not a real place...

This Paul Ibe is fast becoming a major voice in opposition. This is a critical time that we need a strong opposition to keep the ruling parties in their toes.

Opposition isn’t enmity, but catalyst.

One Yoruba moniker told Nigerians to hold their Governors responsible for the failure of Nigeria state..



When people like Bayo are on nairaland lying to themselves on how Osun Kwara Gombe and zamfara are self sufficient.. quoting fictitious funds.. without explaining how and what raise this funds for this states.. then you know illiterates and fools abounds much in sophisticators..

But who cares..

Statistics and propaganda can’t and will never change reality.

Hyping stupidity is allowed.

Bayo keep confirming his impish personality and showcasing his stupidity all in bid to act a spokesman..

Anyways, is in them..

5 years from today..

Goats and fowls will have their heads mined.. just to meet up.

The APC brought out the true nature of Nigerians. Docile. I remember after his inauguration where his announcement led to price of petrol skyrocketing and some people where saying the hardship will make people protest and turn the country upside down. I said nothing will happen. Nigerians will break the walls down if the government pushes them to the walls just create more room for pushing.

A few weeks later, Rotimi Amaechi implied the same 'nigerian politicians do the things they do because they know there'll be no consequences'.

8 years of Buhari despite the obvious 'enpoverishment' of the people, didn't stop the APC from having people who will defend them. Despite the realities of this Tinubu regime that Nigerians are currently burdened with, the regime still has people speaking from both sides of the mouth in defense of it. The blame game worked for Buhari, why should Tinubu jettison it?

We are a long ways from redeeming this country. Na free fall we dey.

Na statistics we go chop?? See your life now 🤣🤣

Emi lokan, yoruba lokan 🤣🤣 you see am now??😹😹

He built Lagos, He built Chicago 🙄 see una yeye life now

He a proven economist 😂😂 una see am?? Foolllllssss


We are suffering as a nation, we don pass patience stage, we dey peservere, believe me, it has never been this bad!

One thing wey I observe for the country be say, previous president dey always dey better Dan the present... I pray make the next one prove me wrong sha

Make Atiku better settle with Obi ooo else na still same outcome ooo.

Tinubu is clueless and surrounded by f**LS like Bayo Onanuga

APC is indeed a plague that gullible citizens unfortunately brought upon themselves. Renewed shege promax everywhere. Bunch of idiots. Meanwhile, their zombies be like;

Every successive government in Nigeria has always been worse than it's predecessor.
That how it will continue to be until we do something different, which is Restructuring or outright Balkanisation.

Bayo Onanuga is a fo ol

At this juncture


Any supporter of Tinubu is a brain dead fool

I've always believed that Atiku was the best candidate in the last election. Yes, the man has his terrible side as a typical Nigerian politician that he is but he's the most prepared for the job.

You don't spend 30yrs of your life looking for something you're not prepared to handle. This man has been playing the nija dirty politics for more than thirty years at the very top level and he's still standing. He has political experience, executive experience and capacity.

Tinubu only started playing national
politics in 2013.

One goat on the other just woke up five months to the election and said he has all the solutions to Nigeria's problem. Sadly, people who can't sit back and think for themselves went with the crowd. He ended up making the contest easy for the person that majority didn't want as president, thereby plunging Nigeria to a single party state.

I voted Atiku in 2023, but if he meets that goat or have anything to do with him. in the 2027 election, I'm voting Tinubu.

Tinubu must finish what he started

I think Atiku camp are actually correct. They blame buhari, blame Jonathan, blame Obasanjo and even the dead yaradua. Until we wise up and warn this the**es to either back off or stop blaming their failure on past administration, this what we will be getting.

There was a topic here where apc supporters were blaming the people for the failure of the government. I start wondering if they are just being ignorant or they decided to truly act stupid. I see people complaining everyday both offline and online and some fools will decide to blame everybody else except those in power. Same way they defended buhari till he left office only to start blaming him after tinubu came in. Instead of them to keep quiet until he performs his magic they still make noise up and down as if things are going perfectly in the current Nigeria economy.

Praxis758:
This Paul Ibe is fast becoming a major voice in opposition. This is a critical time that we need a strong opposition to keep the ruling parties in their toes.

Opposition isn’t enmity, but catalyst.

Are you actually okay upstairs?

You call this opposition?

JESUS CHRIST HAVE MERCY ON THESE UNSCHOOLED KIDS..

Tinubu has failed. Period....

Nigerians!!

Try surviving for the next two years under this regime!!

Do not let Nigeria happen to you

By 2026,a year to elections ....the security challenges would automatically improve for politicians to campaign and share peanuts to impoverished citizens, only for it, get worse again after the 2027 elections

We are in for one bumpy ride

Once again

Do not let Nigeria happen to you

AllTheWayUp:
Thunder fire Tinubu and his supporters

If him ask for your mama, Tinubu go still faya her kpekus...and she no go explain anything to anybody..

Let the banter begin
APC nairaland warriors oya o

ZombiePUNISHER:
At this juncture


Any supporter of Tinubu is a brain dead fool

Including your mama wey him been dey use do hook-up as Governor..

morgstreme:


Including your mama wey him been dey use do hook-up as Governor..

Rule breaker

cc Seun

There is an adage that says "when you drive a car with your mouth you will never have accident"... APC is really good at this

ZombiePUNISHER:
At this juncture


Any supporter of Tinubu is a brain dead fool

Lol not as brain dead as those that believe Obi is some kind of messiah.