Presidency Defends Tinubu’s Policies, Stresses Criticism Must Be Based on Facts

The Presidency has responded to a recent editorial by a newspaper (not The PUNCH), criticizing it as exaggerated, unbalanced, and a misrepresentation of Nigeria’s current state.

In a statement on Friday, Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Media and Public Communications, Sunday Dare, emphasized that while the administration welcomes constructive criticism, it must be “rooted in facts, not distortion or selective pessimism.”

Dare acknowledged the economic challenges faced by some Nigerians but rejected “exaggerated pessimism and generalization” that distorts the actual situation. He asserted, “The irony is that the policies often criticized today are, in fact, those that will secure a more stable, prosperous, and secure future for Nigerians.”

Addressing the UNICEF-linked hunger projection mentioned by the newspaper, Dare clarified that it was based on the worst-case scenario from the Cadre Harmonisé Food and Nutrition Insecurity Analysis for the June–August 2025 lean season, not a current assessment.

To prevent such a situation, Dare outlined several government actions: over 42,000 metric tons of grains released from federal strategic reserves, additional procurement of 117,000 metric tons, activation of the Food Security Council, and emergency nutrition support in Borno, Yobe, Adamawa, Katsina, Sokoto, and Bauchi states.

Regarding the naira’s performance, Dare dismissed the “worthless naira” description, pointing out that the currency had strengthened from ₦1,800/$ in March 2024 to approximately ₦1,525/$ by August 1, 2025. He emphasized, “The naira has not collapsed—it has been corrected and is now recovering,” attributing this improvement to increased oil receipts, restored investor confidence, the unification of the FX window, and the reduction of the FX backlog by over $4bn.

Dare also rejected claims that the school feeding program had “fizzled out,” highlighting that over 9.8 million children in 53,000 schools continue to benefit, along with more than 200,000 cooks and local farmers engaged nationwide.

Additionally, he mentioned that three million vulnerable households have received ₦75,000 each under the Renewed Hope Conditional Cash Transfer, with plans to reach 15 million households. Over 396,000 students are also benefiting from tuition loans and stipends through NELFUND.

He further highlighted the Renewed Hope Ward Development Programme, which the President recently approved. This program aims to intervene in poverty alleviation, food security, infrastructure, power, and job creation across all 8,809 wards in Nigeria.

Concluding his statement, Dare said, “This administration does not ask for silence in the face of hardship. It asks only for fairness and a shared commitment to rebuilding this country, not just exaggerating its pain.”