Tinubu’s Independence Day Speech Filled with Inaccuracies and Falsehoods – Kalu Aja

In a sharp critique, financial analyst and educator Kalu Aja has denounced President Bola Tinubu’s Independence Day speech, claiming it was rife with inaccuracies and falsehoods, particularly in its economic assertions. Aja’s comments follow the President’s declaration that the N30 trillion “ways and means” advances incurred by the previous administration had been cleared.

Aja specifically challenged the administration’s assertion regarding the clearance of the N30 trillion loan from the Central Bank of Nigeria. On his X account on Tuesday, he expressed skepticism about Tinubu’s claim that Nigeria attracted over $30 billion in foreign direct investments (FDI) over the past year.

“The President’s Independence Day speech, especially the economic segments, is filled with inaccuracies and falsehoods,” Aja wrote. “Who vetted it? How can the President say he ‘cleared’ Ways and Means of N30 trillion or ‘attracted FDI of $30 billion?’ These are not simple errors; they are gross lies and falsehoods that are easy to fact-check.”

Aja emphasized the importance of accurate communication, stating that when President Tinubu speaks, he sets a record for both domestic and international audiences, including investors and multinational agencies. He questioned how foreign investors could trust a country whose President claims an inflow of $30 billion in FDI within 12 months while the nation’s foreign reserves stand at $37 billion and the currency is depreciating to N1,700 to $1.