A trending video of President Bola Tinubu, in which he acknowledges the economic hardships caused by the removal of subsidy but emphasises that the government is working diligently to implement plans for a brighter future, has been confirmed by his media aide, Bayo Onanuga, to be an old clip.
The video, which surfaced on Wednesday, is actually from a broadcast made in July 2023. This clarification comes after various official channels, including the President’s X page, the State House NG (The Aso Villa) WhatsApp channel, and other social media platforms associated with the presidency, shared the video, leading many to believe it was a recent statement.
Bayo Onanuga, the Special Adviser, Information and Strategy to Mr. President, debunked the video via his X account on Wednesday, several hours after it went viral on social media.
He stated, “A trending video of President Tinubu which came out on Wednesday is not a new video. It’s a clip from the broadcast he made last year. President Tinubu has not made any other public statement since his last broadcast on Sunday.”
In the video, President Tinubu says:
“Fellow Nigerians, this period may be hard on us and there is no doubt that it is tough on us. But I urge you all to look beyond the present temporary pains and aim at the larger picture.
“All I good and helpful plans are in the works. More importantly, I know they would work.
“Sadly, there was an unavoidable lag between subsidy removal and these plans coming fully online. However, we are swiftly closing the time gap.
“I plead with you, please have faith in our ability to deliver and in our concern of your wellbeing. We will get out of this turbulence and due to the measures we have taken, Nigeria will be better equipped and able to take advantage of the future that awaits her.
“For example, we shall fulfil our promise to make education affordable to all and provide loans to higher education students who may need them. No Nigerian student will have to abandon higher education because of lack of money.
“Our commitment is to promote the greatest good for the greatest number of our people. On principle, we shall never falter.
“I assure you, my fellow countrymen and women, that we are exiting the darkness to enter a new and glorious dawn.
“Now, I must get back to work to make the vision complete.
“Thank you for listening and may God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”’