Economy
Your Criticism Of Tinubu Driven By Animosity, Says Bayo Onanuga To Atiku
Your Criticism Of Tinubu Driven By Animosity, Says Bayo Onanuga To Atiku
Your criticism of Tinubu driven by animosity, says Bayo Onanuga to Atiku. Bayo Onanuga, special adviser to President Bola Tinubu on information and strategy, says former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar’s incessant criticism of his principal is driven by animosity.
Onanuga was responding to Abubakar’s assessment of Tinubu’s second year in office.
In a statement issued Thursday, Onanuga said in two years, Tinubu has carried out the “most ambitious and audacious” economic and institutional reforms not witnessed in the country in 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 said Tinubu never promised that his reforms would be painless but was clear that they were necessary to save the country from the brink of fiscal collapse due to unsustainable spending.
Onanuga said the removal of subsidy on petrol and unification of the foreign exchange market were policies previous administrations deemed imperative but failed to implement.
He said unlike Abubakar and a few critics, “everyone” agrees the reforms have stabilised government finances, reduced systemic corruption, and attracted 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.
Faulting Abubakar’s assertion that Tinubu’s policies only favour the rich while punishing the poor, Onanuga said the president has implemented social safety nets, introduced targeted interventions for low-income households and increased the minimum wage from N30,000 to N70,000.
Onanuga said Abubakar’s remark that education has become out of reach 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.
BORROWING CLAIM
The presidential spokesperson said since last year, the government has introduced the student loan scheme to ensure that underprivileged children are not denied education because of poverty.
He said at the last count, over 600,000 students have benefitted from the scheme.
Onanuga said the Tinubu administration has made investments in medical care, including revitalising primary health centres, expanding health insurance, and working to reduce the cost of medicines.
He said Abubakar “ignorantly” accused the Tinubu administration of borrowing fresh money to support the 2025 budget, adding 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.
Atiku
“The debt service ratio to revenue has declined from 93 per cent to 60 percent. 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 said criticism must be constructive, adding that Abubakar should also offer a solution when he opposes government policies.
“Otherwise, his opposition statements will be dismissed as mere partisan rhetoric and cheap talk,” he said. Onanuga urged Nigerians to judge the current administration objectively.
Lagos Assembly Strongly Seeks Suspension Of Makoko Demolition
Lagos assembly strongly seeks suspension of Makoko demolition. The Lagos state house of assembly has called for the suspension of demolition activities in Makoko, Oko-Agbon and Shogunro waterfront communities following protests by displaced residents and growing public concern over the exercise.
The call was announced on Tuesday by Noheem Adams, chairman of an ad hoc committee set up by Mudashiru Obasa, speaker of the house, during a stakeholders’ meeting held at the Lateef Jakande auditorium.
Adams called on all state ministries to cease demolition work and promised compensation to the affected residents.
“On behalf of the speaker and all 40 members of the house, we are directing that all demolitions in Makoko, Oko-Agbon, and Shogunro communities should stop from today until further notice,” New Telegraph quoted Adams as saying.
He called for transparency by demanding the full list of taskforce members and the criteria used for engagement, insisting that residents must be actively involved in the process.
“That the taskforce that was constituted, we want to see the list of the taskforce because we want the residents to be duly involved and to be carried along. So we want to have the schedule of those task forces and the criteria for those that we are inviting,” Adams added.
Lagos Assembly
“To the residents of Makoko, Oko-Agbon and Shogunro communities, as your representatives, we are giving you all assurances that they will stop demolitions henceforth and there will be compensations for all those whose properties have been demolished.”
Stephen Ogundipe, member of the ad-hoc, said there is need for clear communication, adding that residents targeted for relocation or redevelopment must be informed of the government’s plans in advance.
Babatunde Olajide, special adviser to governor of Lagos on E-GIS and urban renewal, confirmed that $2 million had been earmarked since 2021 to transform Makoko into a modern, internationally compliant water city.
He said enumeration of affected properties is underway and reiterated the administration’s commitment to handling the situation with a human face, prioritizing resident safety and fair compensation.
Yusuf Sagra, baale of Makoko, described the assembly’s decision as a “word of peace,” while Orioye Ogungbure, another leader of the community, praised the “democratic responsiveness” of the government.
EFCC Arrests Kannywood Star, Samha Inuwa for Alleged Naira Mutilation In Viral Video
EFCC arrests Kannywood Star, Samha Inuwa for alleged naira mutilation in viral video. The Kano Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Tuesday, February 3, 2026 arrested a Kannywood Star, Samha Inuwa over alleged Naira mutilation.
Inuwa was arrested following a viral video circulated on social media platforms where she was seen conspicuously cleaning mucus from her nose using Naira notes.
EFCC
Following the release of the viral video, the Commission swung into action by tracing and subsequently arrested her to answer questions.
She is currently being held at the Commission’s detention facility while investigation is ongoing.
The suspect will be charged to court upon conclusion of investigations.
Dele Oyewale
Head, Media & Publicity
February 3, 2026
Access Bank Gets New Board Chair Ifeyinwa Osime
Access Bank gets new board chair Ifeyinwa Osime. Access Bank Plc has appointed Ifeyinwa Osime as chair of the board of directors, following the retirement of Paul Usoro, on January 29.
Access Bank Plc has appointed Ifeyinwa Osime as chair of the board of directors, following the retirement of Paul Usoro, on January 29, according to a statement to the Nigerian Exchange Ltd. on Monday.
Ms Osime, a legal practitioner, joined Access Bank’s board in November 2019 as an independent non-executive director and had chaired its Human Resources and Sustainability Committee and the Governance, Nomination, and Remuneration Committee. This role made her contribute significantly to the bank’s corporate governance, leadership development, and sustainability initiatives.
Additionally, Ms Osime is a director at Ebudo Trust Ltd. and a partner at McPherson Legal Practitioners, where she advises on corporate and commercial matters and contributes to strategic leadership.
She is also a member of the Nigerian Bar Association, the Women Corporate Directors, Nigeria Chapter, and the Chartered Institute of Directors, Nigeria, where she serves on the Executive Committee of the Women Sectoral Group.
Access Bank Gets New Board Chair Ifeyinwa Osime
Beyond her professional responsibilities, Ms Osime is committed to mentoring youths and is actively involved in the Autism and Developmental Delays Support Community, reflecting her dedication to inclusion and social impact.
Speaking on her appointment, the group chairman, Aigboje Aig-lmoukhuede, said, “Mrs Osime is a principled and experienced leader with a deep understanding of the Bank’s strategy and values.
“She has demonstrated strong commitment to the bank’s vision and mission, and I am confident that, under her leadership, the bank will continue to advance its strategic objectives of delivering sustainable value to shareholders and other stakeholders in the pursuit of its vision to become the world’s most respected African bank.”
Mr Aig-lmoukhuede also congratulated Mr Usoro on the completion of his tenure and on his exemplary leadership, dedication, and significant contributions to the group, saying he remains a valued member of the Access family.
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