Following criticism from the media and the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR) over recent statements by President Tinubu’s media team, Nigerians have begun to raise concerns about propaganda and deliberate misinformation against the President.
Ajuri Ngelale, President Tinubu’s spokesperson, erroneously claimed that the President was the first African leader to ring the National Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotations (NASDAQ) closing bell at the New York Stock Exchange.
While the announcement could have been a mistake, the presidential assistant incorrectly reported that the UAE lifted its visa ban on Nigerians following the President’s involvement.
In both situations, the information should have boosted the president’s reputation and the work he has done since taking office on May 29. Yet, the invalidation of both claims has led citizens to question whether the presidency was deploying propaganda on purpose.
According to an opposition party, the Peoples Democratic Party, the administration of President Bola Tinubu has spread 10 significant lies since assuming office four months ago.
Phrank Shaibu, a spokesperson for PDP presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar, argued that the price of petrol was still being subsidised against the claims of the President that the petrol subsidy is gone. “The price of diesel has risen to about N1,000 per litre while petrol remains at about N620 per litre,” he said, highlighting a lack of transparency in the subsidy regime.
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Shaibu called it a “national embarrassment” that the UAE authorities were forced to debunk the claim that it had lifted the visa ban on Nigerians on international television.
“[Another] lie was a claim made by Tinubu on the floor of NASDAQ where he stated that ‘We have retooled the exchange rate to a reliable, dependable one figure floating of the naira. You are free to take in your money and bring out your money.’” According to Shaibu, foreign airlines still have over $600m funds stuck in Nigeria so the claim couldn’t possibly be true.
In addition, Shaibu said the government lied when it announced it would inject $10 billion into the foreign exchange market within two weeks to clear the FX backlog and has failed to inject a single cent even after the deadline passed.
Shaibu also questioned whether the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited actually received a $3 billion loan from Afrexim Bank in order to stabilise the currency. “We raided the alarm that it was all a ruse to deceive Nigerians. Now, we have been justified as the naira is now trading at $1/N1000 on the black market, while Afrexim Bank has refused to speak on it.”
Shaibu concluded by saying the biggest scam and deceit of the Tinubu administration was the Student Loan Act, which he signed on June 12. He said the new law provided loans for student’s tuition only, which was meaningless because tuition in all government schools was free.
“In essence, Tinubu’s government has prodded government schools to increase fees while no loans will be given to the students. This is the height of deception and wickedness,” he said.
