Presidency fires back at ADC, says Nigeria undergoing correction, not collapse

The Presidency has defended the economic reforms of President Bola Tinubu’s administration, insisting that Nigeria is undergoing necessary corrections rather than heading toward collapse as suggested by critics.

In a statement posted on X, O’tega Ogra, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Digital and New Media, said the reforms were aimed at fixing long-standing structural imbalances in the economy.

“Nigeria is not perfect. Nigeria is not painless. Nigeria is not instant. But Nigeria is not what you are trying to sell either,” he said.

“Because what we are witnessing is not collapse, but correction. Not drift, but direction. Not hopelessness, but the difficult discipline of rebuilding,” he added.

Ogra made the remarks in response to comments by Bolaji Abdullahi, National Publicity Secretary of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), who had criticised the President’s reforms.

Abdullahi criticised President Tinubu’s policies, saying they have led to rising fuel prices, worsening insecurity, increased cost of living, and growing concerns about Nigeria drifting toward a one-party state.

In his reaction, Ogra said that although Nigerians are experiencing hardship, the measures taken by the current administration were necessary to address years of economic distortions.

“Yes, Nigerians are hurting in some areas. Yes, fuel prices have risen — sharply, painfully, undeniably. But let us not pretend this storm began this morning,” he said.

Defending the removal of fuel subsidy, Ogra said the decision was difficult but necessary despite its short-term consequences. “The Tinubu-Shettima administration did not remove the subsidy because it was easy. We removed it because it was necessary. Hard choices, real consequences, no pretence,” he added.