A recently posted video on the verified X (formerly Twitter) handle of President Bola Tinubu has sparked confusion among his media team and the public. The video, featuring President Tinubu, addresses the challenges Nigerians face following the removal of the fuel subsidy.
Earlier reports indicated that in the video, President Tinubu acknowledges the hardship caused by the fuel subsidy removal, a move that has led to widespread protests against the government’s policies. Many Nigerians interpreted the address as another appeal from the president to quell the ongoing demonstrations and reassure the public.
However, Bayo Onanuga, the Special Adviser to President Tinubu on Information and Strategy, quickly clarified that the video in question is not recent. “Trending video of President Tinubu is an old video,” he said.
Onanuga noted that the clip, which surfaced on Wednesday, is from a previous broadcast made by President Tinubu last year. He confirmed that the president has not issued any new public statement since his last broadcast on Sunday.
The situation has led to mixed reactions among Tinubu’s aides.
While some aides re-posted the video, seemingly unaware of its original context, others have tried to correct the misinformation by reiterating Onanuga’s statement.
The likes of O’tega Ogra, Fredrick Nwabufo (Senior Special Assistant to the President on Public Engagement) posted the video. The Special Assistant to the President on Social Media, Dayo Olusegun, also reposted the video.
