Former Anambra State governor Peter Obi has called on President Bola Tinubu to give Nigerians a detailed account of how public funds have been used since the removal of the fuel subsidy, while a former presidential aide has urged a more balanced assessment of the administration’s reforms.
In a message posted on X, Obi said Nigerians deserved explanations for the government’s use of ₦15.8 trillion in alleged fuel-subsidy savings, more than $100 billion in borrowing, increased tax revenues and other income said to have exceeded government projections.
He also challenged the administration to provide measurable results in poverty reduction, education, healthcare, electricity supply and national security.
“Nigerians deserve answers,” Obi said, arguing that citizens should know what had been done with the resources entrusted to the government.
He said a “New Nigeria” should be built on accountability, transparency and demonstrable improvements in people’s lives.
Obi’s comments followed President Tinubu’s visit to Akwa Ibom, which he described as an opportunity for the president to engage more directly with citizens across the country. He also urged the president to visit more states and explain his administration’s record.
Responding, Bashir Ahmad, a former presidential aide and national director of media monitoring and rapid response for the City Boy Movement, agreed that accountability was essential but said public criticism must be based on facts and context.
Ahmad argued that the ₦15.8 trillion cited by Obi should not automatically be viewed as money held in a government account for immediate distribution.
He said subsidy savings, borrowing and increased revenue had to be considered alongside the economic challenges and reforms facing Nigeria.
He added that borrowing was not, by itself, evidence of failure. The key questions, he said, were whether borrowed funds were being responsibly used, whether investments were producing measurable benefits and whether the country’s debt remained sustainable.
Ahmad acknowledged that insecurity, poverty, poor electricity supply, limited access to education and healthcare remained serious problems.
However, he said it was unfair to dismiss any progress simply because the challenges had not been fully resolved.
He also called for the same scrutiny to be applied to state and local governments, saying accountability should extend to every institution managing public resources.
The exchange highlights a broader debate over Tinubu’s economic agenda: whether the government’s difficult reforms are producing sufficient benefits for citizens, and how those benefits should be measured.
While Obi is demanding clearer evidence of results, Ahmad is urging critics to recognise the complexity of governing Nigeria and avoid reducing the debate to political score-settling.