Phrank Shaibu, Special Assistant on Public Communication to former Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar, has urged President Bola Tinubu to reconsider his stance and return Nigerians to a time of what he describes as “fake smiles.”
Shaibu emphasized that many Nigerians are currently facing severe financial hardships, underscoring the urgency of restoring an era of abundance.
His remarks came in response to Tinubu’s recent comments, where he claimed that the perceived good life Nigerians enjoyed prior to his administration was merely an illusion that could lead to the nation’s downfall.
Tinubu made these statements over the weekend during the combined 34th and 35th convocation ceremonies of the Federal University of Technology Akure (FUTA) in Ondo State.
Represented by the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ilorin, Wahab Egbewole, Tinubu argued that the elimination of petrol subsidies and the unification of exchange rates were essential steps to rescue Nigeria from imminent collapse.
As a reminder, the president announced the termination of the petrol subsidy on May 29, 2023, during his inauguration.
According to Tinubu, his administration has taken bold measures to prevent economic catastrophe and safeguard the future for Nigerians.
However, in a post shared on X, Shaibu quipped, “If the good life before subsidy removal was fake, then this ‘real’ life must be the plot of a poorly scripted Nollywood drama penned by Mr. T-Pain.
“Can we at least get a refund on that script or be transported back to our ‘fake’ existence—at least we could afford to put on fake smiles back then.
“Now, we find ourselves caught in this ‘authentic’ struggle, where our finances are barely hanging on.”
