Presidency to Nigerians: Tinubu is not ‘T-Pain’, he feels your pain

The Presidency has condemned those who labelled President Bola Ahmed Tinubu with different nicknames due to the current economic situations in the country, arguing that the President is not ‘T-pain’ and he feels the pain of Nigerians.

The Special Adviser for the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, said this while featured on Channels Television’s Sunday Politics Sunday.

According to him, the use of T-Pain, as commonly called on social media, is not for Tinubu, stating that the President understands the challenges Nigerians are facing and is committed to improving their situation. 

Responding to questions, Onanuga addressed social media criticism, specifically the nickname “T-pain” that some have assigned to Tinubu.

He dismissed this as “mischievous,” emphasising that Tinubu has not taken office to bring hardship but rather to rebuild Nigeria’s economy.

Onanuga said, “Some people have also responded and called the President a different name. So, as far as I am concerned, it is a non-issue.

“Some people, out of mischief, just say somebody is a T-pain; he (Tinubu) is not T-pain.

“The President has never shied away from telling Nigerians that he feels their pain and he is working very hard to make sure that he gives them some relief so that things will get better and this country will get more prosperity.”

He said despite galloping inflation, “we are experiencing economic growth, despite inflation, revenues have increased”.

Nigerians are grappling with the weight of unprecedented food inflation, and energy prices which have quadrupled in the last year.

Recall that the President, upon assumption of office in 2023, implemented twin policies of petrol subsidy removal and unification of forex rates, which many people have blamed as responsible for the high living costs that have assailed the middle class.