By Kunle Oshobi
Reno Omokri’s recent panegyric for the Tinubu administration reads less like an objective political analysis and more like a carefully curated script designed to gaslight a nation currently grappling with unprecedented economic hardship. While Omokri paints a picture of “stability and ability,” the reality on the ground for over 200 million Nigerians tells a story of broken promises, manipulated statistics, and a calculated assault on the democratic space.
Below is a point-by-point rebuttal of the fallacies presented:
1. The Manufactured “Clarity” vs. Sponsored Chaos
Omokri boasts of “absolute clarity” in the APC camp while mocking the opposition’s disarray. What he conveniently ignores is that the current crisis within the major opposition parties is not a natural occurrence; it is a **deliberate project sponsored by the Presidency**. By weaponizing judicial processes and planting moles within opposition leadership, the Tinubu administration has actively worked to ensure no viable challenger can emerge. This is not “political foresight”—it is the consolidation of a one-party state under the guise of democracy.
2. The Great GDP Deception
The claim that Tinubu added **$67 billion** to the economy is a masterclass in statistical mischief. Omokri uses **Naira-denominated GDP growth**, which skyrocketed in nominal terms solely because the administration’s policies caused the Naira to lose over 70% of its value.
* **The Reality:** When converted back to real dollar terms, Nigeria’s GDP has actually **shrunk**.
* In 2022, Nigeria’s GDP was roughly **$477 billion**. By 2025, estimates show it struggling to remain above **$350 billion**.
To celebrate a nominal Naira increase caused by hyper-inflation as “growth” is an insult to the intelligence of every Nigerian paying triple for a bag of rice.
3. The Dangote “Miracle” is Not a Tinubu Policy
Attribute Nigeria’s new status as an exporter of refined petroleum to Tinubu’s “policies” is historically dishonest. The **Dangote Refinery**—the sole reason for this shift—was a private sector initiative conceptualized and largely completed long before Tinubu took office.
* Tinubu’s primary “contribution” to the sector has been the chaotic removal of the fuel subsidy without a credible cushion, which sent transport costs and food inflation to 30-year highs.
* Claiming credit for a private billionaire’s decade-long investment is the height of political plagiarism.
4. Stability for the Elite, Poverty for the Masses
Omokri speaks of a “steady hand,” but for millions, that hand is around their throats.
* **Poverty:** According to recent World Bank and NBS data (2025/2026), Nigeria’s poverty rate has surged to **63%**, with over **140 million** people living below the poverty line.
* **Education:** While Omokri touts “interest-free loans,” he ignores the fact that tuition fees have tripled across federal universities, making those very loans a drop in an ocean of debt for students whose parents can no longer afford three meals a day.
5. Insecurity and the Erosion of Sovereignty
While the administration connects roads on paper, the Nigerian people cannot travel on them. The state of insecurity has reached a fever pitch, with kidnapping becoming a commercialized industry and swathes of the North and Southeast remaining under the control of non-state actors.
* Millions remain in IDP camps.
* Farmers cannot access their lands, which is the primary driver of the current food insecurity crisis.
6. The Normalization of Corruption
Finally, the “City Boy” movement flags flying on Kilimanjaro cannot mask the stench of corruption that has become synonymous with this administration. From the controversial “Renovations” of presidential residences to the $11 billion coastal road contract awarded without due process or competitive bidding to a company owned by someone Tinubu had previously acknowledged as his business partner, the anti-graft war has been reduced to a tool for silencing activists and targeting the opposition. Transparency International’s rankings remain a testament to a government that prioritizes political loyalty over institutional integrity.
**Conclusion**
Nigeria does not need a $1 trillion economy on paper if its citizens are starving in the streets. Reno Omokri’s “Seven Reasons” are built on a foundation of manipulated data and the suppression of the opposition. The only “mental inroads” being made are the deep scars of poverty and insecurity that this administration has etched into the hearts of the Nigerian people.
Does the focus on “GDP growth” hold any weight for you if the local purchasing power continues to decline?
Kunle Oshobi is the Head of Strategy and Planning and Chairman Narrative Comand of The Narrative Force
