A former Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Solomon Dalung, has delivered a scathing review of President Bola Tinubu’s administration, stating that the government has failed to meet expectations after two years in office.
Naija News reports that Dalung blamed the current economic hardship, insecurity, and rising hunger in the country on what he described as ill-conceived policies by the president, especially the removal of fuel subsidy and naira floatation, which he said were implemented without proper planning or mitigation strategies.
In an interview with the Daily Post, Dalung said Nigerians had high hopes when Tinubu assumed office on May 29, 2023, given his previous track record as governor of Lagos State.
He said, “Tinubu’s administration for two years has been far below expectations. His personality was not new to the political climate, and many Nigerians believed he would replicate the so-called Lagos miracle at the national level.”
But Dalung argued that Tinubu quickly dashed those hopes by removing fuel subsidy on day one without having a functional government in place to manage the consequences.
“That ‘subsidy is gone’ declaration was reckless. It sent a signal that he lacked comprehension of the country’s situation,” Dalung stated.
According to the former minister, the administration’s economic policies were not only rushed but also lacked any real framework to absorb their aftershocks. He criticised the president for not consulting widely or subjecting his plans to rigorous scrutiny.
“If he was courageous enough, he would have subjected the policy to superior argument and the litmus test of scrutiny. But to cowardly ambush Nigerians as he did, was not courage at all,” Dalung said.
He insisted that had Tinubu genuinely understood governance at the national level, he would have approached such a critical economic reform with caution and dialogue.
Dalung painted a grim picture of Nigeria’s current socio-economic climate, blaming the presidency for worsening poverty, insecurity, and starvation.
“Nigerians are going through excruciating pains—hunger, starvation, insecurity, and economic strangulation,” he lamented.
He noted that the ripple effects of Tinubu’s early policy missteps are what the nation is battling today and concluded that the president’s performance has been “disappointing and far below expectations.”
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