The Presidency has addressed allegations from a faction of the Afenifere group that President Bola Tinubu’s economic strategies have caused financial difficulties, a deterioration of democracy, and societal regression.
The pan-Yoruba group reportedly expressed sorrow over the fact that the midterm report of Tinubu’s administration indicated a decline in all human development and sociopolitical indices.
However, in a statement made on Tuesday by the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Public Communications, Sunday Dare, the presidency asserted that the criticism was a calculated effort to identify flaws in Tinubu’s administration.
Dare stated that the group’s criticism is based on a jaundiced view that reflects the sentiments of opposition politicians.
The Presidency characterized the group’s evaluation as “deceitful,” “prejudiced,” and “not based on facts.”
It states in part: “The defiant Afenifere asserts that there has been a deterioration in human development, economic governance, and democracy under President Bola Tinubu’s administration over the past two years.
“This perspective is one of cynicism and reflects the opinions of opposition politicians, one of whom the group backed in the 2023 election. Taking into account the data at hand, a balanced evaluation shows a more objective and progressive image, featuring considerable accomplishments among the challenges anticipated from a country like Nigeria, which has problems dating back decades.
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The Presidency contended against the group’s assertions, stating that by 2024, the naira’s floatation and exchange rate unification had increased foreign reserves to $38.1 billion and resulted in a trade surplus of ₦18.86 trillion for the nation.
“During the Tinubu administration, Nigeria’s annual inflation rate decreased to 23.71% in April 2025, down from 24.23% in the previous month. The food inflation rate, which is the largest component of the inflation basket, continued to be high but decreased from 21.79% to 21.26%.
Although these numbers suggest a stabilisation, the immediate effect on everyday Nigerians is evident. The Presidency stated, “The government’s cash transfer programme, which supplies funds to the poorest households and benefits over 5.7 million households, is a credible outreach.
The Presidency enumerated the Presidential Loan and Grant Scheme, the Students’ Loan Scheme, NELFUND, the rise in minimum wage, and the NYSC allowance as achievements of President Tinubu.
“The administration also noted the clearance of over $10 billion in FX debt, a 60% increase in federal account allocations to states facilitating more local development projects, the release of N50 billion to resolve the ongoing ASUU strikes, and the revitalization of over 1,000 PHCs nationwide with an additional 5,500 undergoing upgrades,” the Presidency added.
