The Presidency has refuted claims that it directed northern ministers in President Bola Tinubu’s cabinet to actively defend the administration against growing criticism from opposition figures.
According to reports, this response follows reports suggesting that the Presidency had issued directives to key political leaders, ministers, and top appointees to push back against negative narratives from critics.
Speaking to Punch, a Presidency official asserted that northern ministers voicing support for Tinubu were simply fulfilling their responsibilities and were not acting under pressure. The official further emphasized that it is standard practice for public officeholders to address criticism, particularly regarding the administration’s policies and governance.
The Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, stated, “Those ministers are doing their jobs. Nobody asked them to respond. They are simply doing their jobs. When you find a lot of people just talking as they like, somebody needs to react to them and tell them that what they are saying is not the truth.
“Being in government, they need to speak for the government. It is not just for the Minister of Information. Whether a minister is from the North, South or the East, they need to speak.”
