Barau Counters Osinbajo, Defends Tinubu’s Economic Reforms.
Barau insisted that President Bola Tinubu’s administration was addressing longstanding structural challenges, but needed to communicate its policies and achievements more effectively to Nigerians.
He acknowledged the validity of concerns raised by Osinbajo, particularly those relating to economic hardship, declining public confidence in democratic institutions, and inadequate youth participation in electoral politics.
But Barau stated that the perception of poor government performance was partly attributable to the failure of political leaders to adequately explain their policies, interventions, and ongoing development projects.
The deputy senate president spoke in Yola, Adamawa State, during a public lecture, titled, “Democracy and Development: Rethinking the Leadership Question,” organised to mark the 59th birthday of Governor Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri. Osinbajo, who served as Vice President between 2015 and 2023, had raised concern about the growing dissatisfaction with democratic governance across Africa, despite nearly three decades of uninterrupted democratic rule in several countries. Drawing on findings from Afrobarometer surveys, the former vice president highlighted widespread economic anxiety, declining public confidence in government, rising living costs, unemployment, inadequate healthcare and diminishing youth participation in electoral processes. He stated that although 64 per cent of Africans preferred democracy to other forms of government, only 38 per cent were satisfied with how democracy was functioning in their respective countries.
MSEApp News is publishing an original rewrite of this tip for readers, based on reporting associated with THISDAY.