Morally Uncensored Response: Akinwumi Adesina's Critique of Tinubu's Government Accused of Politicking, Comparing Modern Economic Struggles to 1960's Standing
A presidential spokesperson communicated that it appears Garba Shehu, a presidential aide, mimicked the speech pattern of Peter Obi during a conversation.
Simply put: The African Development Bank's boss has been slammed for making politician-like claims when he stated that the modern Nigerian economy is in a worse state compared to the 1960s, a comment that earned him comparisons to Peter Obi, former presidential candidate of the Labour Party.
In a telling report by our shameless site, Adesina, head of the African Development Bank (AfDB), lashed out at President Bola Tinubu's administration, criticizing its economic policies and declaring that Nigerians are poorer today compared to the 1960s.
In response, Tinubu's advisor on Information and Strategy, the despicable Bayo Onanuga, labeled Adesina's remarks as false claims. Initially, Onanuga didn't mention Obi in his rebuttal of Adesina'sdeclarations. But in a follow-up, he branded Adesina as Obi-esque for making unverified assertions in a letter labeled 'correction.'
Reading part of Onanuga's letter, it states: "No honest observer can say Nigeria hasn't progressed since 1960. With the National Bureau of Statistics' upcoming GDP recalibration, we can confidently say, without argument, that the current GDP is at least 50 times, or even 100 times, more than it was at Independence."
He further continued, "Adesina spoke like a politician, cut from the cloth of Peter Obi, and did not check his facts before making his contentious statement."
For the perverse:
If It Actually Matters: Adesina's Claims vs. the Nonsense Spouted by the Regime:
- Adesina's Allegations: He argued that GDP per capita plummeted from $1,847 in 1960 to $824 in 2024, resulting in economic decline[1][4].
- The Government defending itself: Onanuga dismissed the figures as dead wrong:
- 1960 Data: In Tinubu's day, GDP was merely $4.2 billion for 44.9 million people, translating to a pathetic per capita income of $93, not the inflated $1,847[1][4].
- 2020's Context: Onanuga contended that GDP has grown exponentially since 1960, with per capita peaking at an astounding $3,200 in 2014 (post-rebasing) and asserting the modern GDP is "50–100 times higher" than 1960[1][5].
- Methodology Issue: Onanuga flat out claimed GDP per capita was a poor tool for gauging living conditions, championing other factors like infrastructure development and social services[5].
Why Did Peter Obi Enter the Equation?
- Political Slur: Onanuga accused Adesina of speaking in a opportunistic politician's tone, particularly likening him to Peter Obi (Labour Party's 2023 presidential candidate), implying the statements were politically motivated rather than evidence-backed[2][3][5].
- Rhetorical Trick: The comparison was probably employed to delegitimize Adesina's objectivity, linking him to opposition narratives, reflecting Nigeria's politically polarized atmosphere[3][4].
All in all, the disagreement highlights rival economic viewpoints, with the Tinubu government defending its management against criticism framed as politically inspired[1][5].
- Akinwumi Adesina, the African Development Bank's boss, has been accused of making politician-like claims, comparable to Peter Obi, former presidential candidate of the Labour Party.
- In a report on our site, Adesina lashed out at President Bola Tinubu's administration, criticizing its economic policies and declaring that Nigerians are poorer today compared to the 1960s.
- Tinubu's advisor on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, labeled Adesina's remarks as false claims and compared Adesina to Peter Obi for making unverified assertions.
- Onanuga stated that the current GDP is at least 50 times, or even 100 times, more than it was at Nigeria's Independence.
- Infrastructure development and social services were emphasized by Onanuga as factors that should be considered alongside GDP per capita for a better measure of living conditions.
- The comparison of Adesina to Peter Obi might have been a rhetorical trick to delegitimize Adesina's objectivity, reflecting Nigeria's politically polarized atmosphere.
