As public frustration over Nigeria’s worsening economic conditions intensifies, the presidency has raised alarm over what it describes as an emerging plot to overthrow the Bola Tinubu-led administration.
According to the presidency, key political figures are rallying under the banner of opposition not merely to criticize but to “destabilize the country.”
The warning came from Bayo Onanuga, President Tinubu’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, who took to social media on Tuesday to express concerns over the growing alliance of prominent figures within the opposition ranks. Onanuga accused these elements of exploiting the country’s economic challenges to engineer unrest and discredit the government.
“Those who never liked progress are coming together to bring down this government — the most focused and transformative in our history,” Onanuga wrote. He also invoked the words of former Emir of Kano and ex-Central Bank Governor, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, who in 2022 cautioned Nigerians about the painful but necessary path of economic reforms.
Sanusi had warned during the 2022 Kaduna Economic and Investment Summit that any politician promising painless economic recovery was either “lying or clueless.” He emphasized that reforms in sectors like fuel, electricity, and forex would be difficult but essential. “Leaders must prepare Nigerians for the reality of difficult decisions,” Sanusi said. “If a leader promises you ease, don’t vote for him.”
Since assuming office in 2023, the Tinubu administration has implemented sweeping economic reforms, including the removal of fuel subsidies and floating of the naira. While the policies are aimed at long-term fiscal stability, they have also led to record inflation, a spike in fuel and electricity prices, job losses, and a worsening cost of living — triggering widespread public anger.
In recent months, a coalition of opposition parties, including former presidential candidates, regional leaders, and aggrieved political allies, has been gaining momentum. This has prompted the presidency to view the rising coalition not just as political competition, but as a potential threat to national stability.
Critics, however, argue that the government is deflecting blame rather than addressing the suffering of ordinary Nigerians. They accuse the administration of being tone-deaf to the realities on the ground and using accusations of sabotage to silence dissent.
While Tinubu’s supporters continue to defend the administration’s economic vision as bold and necessary, the opposition appears to be capitalizing on growing public discontent — setting the stage for what may become an intense political showdown ahead of the 2027 elections.
