ABUJA, Nigeria — The Presidency on Tuesday, June 3, 2025, dismissed recent criticisms by a factional Afenifere group over President Bola Tinubu’s mid-term performance, describing the group’s assessment as “deceitful” and lacking objectivity.
Sunday Dare, Special Adviser to the President on Media and Public Communications, issued the rebuttal in a statement, accusing the group of echoing opposition talking points and refusing to acknowledge the administration’s economic reforms and developmental strides under the Renewed Hope Agenda.
“The rebellious Afenifere claims that President Tinubu’s administration’s performance over the past two years has witnessed a regression in human development, economic mismanagement, and democratic backsliding,” Dare said.
“This is a jaundiced view, echoing the view of opposition politicians, one of whom the group supported in the 2023 election.”
Dare countered Afenifere’s assertions that the removal of the fuel subsidy and the naira floatation caused “unmitigated sufferings,” arguing that these measures saved the government over $10 billion in 2023 alone, eased fiscal pressures, and corrected distortions in the foreign exchange market.
He added that Nigeria’s foreign reserves rose to $38.1 billion by 2024, while the country recorded a trade surplus of N18.86 trillion.
He cited additional data, including a decline in annual inflation from 24.23 percent to 23.71 percent in April 2025 and a moderation in food inflation to 21.26 percent.
“The immediate impact on ordinary Nigerians is not lost,” he said, referencing the government’s social protection programmes such as cash transfers to over 5.7 million households.
Highlighting further achievements, Dare listed over 900,000 beneficiaries of the Presidential Loan and Grant Scheme, 600,000 recipients under the Students’ Loan Scheme (NELFUND), the rollout of CNG-powered buses, and a new minimum wage of N77,000.
He also noted improvements in health, education, and digital infrastructure, as well as over $50 billion in foreign direct investment commitments and increased GDP growth to 3.84 percent in Q4 2024 — the highest in three years.
“It is now pertinent to inquire from opposition leaders about alternative strategies they would propose in contrast to this administration’s extensive list of significant achievements currently benefiting Nigerians in real-time,” Dare concluded.
