The Executive Secretary of the Nigerian National Institute for Cultural Orientation (NICO), Abiodun Ajiboye, has said that with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s economic reforms, Nigeria is gradually reversing years of fiscal mismanagement.

The agency boss warned that opposition narratives were rather “misleading and irresponsible” rather than enlightening.

Ajiboye, who spoke last night on a national television programme, threatened to take legal action against the National Publicity Secretary of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Bolaji Abdullahi, if he failed to substantiate what he called several claims the opposition spokesman made against the Federal Government and its policies.

He stressed that Abdullahi’s remarks, in his view, bordered on incitement.

Ajiboye said his decision to pursue legal action was prompted by ADC’s repeated yet unsubstantiated allegations on the government’s programme and reinforced by the moderator’s framing of the discussion.

He argued that the claims suggested that the Federal Government acted secretly, unfairly or fraudulently in its dealings with foreign partners and went beyond legitimate opposition scrutiny and amounted to misinformation capable of misleading the public.

According to him, while opposition figures are entitled to question government policies and demand accountability, such criticisms must be backed by facts and evidence.

“There is nothing wrong in asking for accountability, but when you make serious allegations about agreements with foreign governments or companies, you must be ready to substantiate them,” he said.

Ajiboye said repeated assertions that Nigeria may have signed international agreements that disadvantaged the country and implied that the government was hiding details from citizens should not be encouraged.

The NICO boss rejected those claims, stressing that he had no knowledge of any wrongdoing and saw “no evil” in agreements aimed at supporting medical facilities in conflict-affected areas.

He said the accusations were frivolous and inciting, adding that he would formally demand clarifications from the opposition figure who made them.

“I challenge him to substantiate that argument. If he fails to clarify, I will take him to court in my personal capacity as a Nigerian citizen,” Ajiboye stated.

According to him, the courts remain the proper avenue for resolving such disputes.

Ajiboye said his threatened legal action was intended to set a boundary between fair political criticism and what he called reckless claims capable of undermining public trust and national interest.

Responding to criticisms of fuel subsidy removal, exchange rate reforms, and rising cost of living, Ajiboye argued that although many Nigerians are currently experiencing economic hardship, the reforms were unavoidable consequences of “missteps of the past”.

He added: “This period is a consequence of missteps of the past. When Nigerians understand that, they will appreciate what President Bola Tinubu is doing to reverse the tide,” he said.

Ajiboye cited improvements in fiscal indicators, stressing that Nigeria’s debt servicing to revenue ratio had dropped sharply.

“As of 2023, debt servicing to revenue was about 97 per cent. By 2024, it came under 40 per cent,” he said.

The agency boss described the shift as a major sign of recovery.

Ajiboye also alluded to investments in mining, agriculture, and security, saying the Federal Government had committed about N1 trillion to revive the mining sector while intensifying efforts to curb illegal mining nationwide.

Commenting on food prices and inflation rate, the NICO boss acknowledged public frustration but urged patience.

“Food prices have started coming down. Agriculture has been given a huge place in the 2026 budget. Last year alone, over 2,000 tractors were imported to boost food production,” he said.

Ajiboye projected that Nigerians would begin to feel clearer relief by the end of 2026, adding: “With the 2026 budget, there will be some hope.”

Responding to ADC’s criticism over the Federal Government’s reported engagement of foreign lobbyists, Ajiboye defended the move, describing it as a necessary diplomatic intervention.

“When a dangerous narrative was pushed that there was a Christian genocide in Nigeria, the government acted responsibly. Employing public relations experts is not a crime. It prevented a possible diplomatic catastrophe,” he said.

Ajiboye dismissed allegations of secrecy and wrongdoing surrounding the current administration’s international agreements, including health-related MoUs.

He challenged opposition figures to provide evidence of their allegations.

The NICO boss also accused opposition leaders of exploiting hardship for political gain.

He insisted that President Tinubu’s reforms were motivated by patriotism rather than electoral calculations.

“If President Bola Tinubu were timid, he would not have undertaken these reforms. Nigeria’s survival is more important to him than returning to power,” he said.

Ajiboye stated that state and local governments must also be held accountable for citizens’ welfare.

According to him, allocations to sub-national governments had tripled since subsidy removal.

“The Federal Government cannot be blamed for everything. Governors must explain what they are doing with increased allocations,” he added.

Despite widespread public dissatisfaction, Ajiboye expressed confidence in Tinubu administration’s trajectory.

“We saved Nigeria from collapse. We are fixing deep structural problems. Nigerians will judge us by the results,” he said. (The Nation, but headline rejigged)

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