As public discourse continues around the Tinubu administration following its second-year anniversary, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, has stated that many Nigerians suffer from “short memory” and are too quick to blame President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for the country’s challenges.

Speaking during an interview with Arise TV on Friday night, May 30, Onanuga argued that much of the criticism directed at the president overlooks the historical context and inherited issues from previous administrations.

“Many Nigerians exhibit the problem of lack of memory. We forget where we started from and just start blaming President Tinubu for all the problems Nigeria is going through,” he said.

Onanuga recalled that in May 2023, when President Tinubu assumed office, the country was already grappling with fuel scarcity, a situation that had persisted throughout the election season.

“People forget that when the President announced the removal of fuel subsidy on the day of his inauguration, NNPC immediately raised pump prices. At the time, NNPC wasn’t willing to continue importing fuel because the Federal Government owed it over ₦4 trillion, and it also had debts to foreign suppliers.

The government had to intervene financially to enable NNPC resume fuel importation and restore availability. But Nigerians seem to forget these things,” Onanuga said.

He emphasized that fuel subsidy was no longer sustainable due to the country's financial realities and urged citizens to give the president credit for bold decisions made in the nation’s interest.

“There was no way Nigeria could have sustained the regime of fuel subsidy. The resources just weren’t there,” he added.

Onanuga concluded by encouraging Nigerians to recognize the difficult reforms undertaken by President Tinubu and to appreciate the longer-term benefits they aim to deliver.