Michael Olugbode in Abuja
Delta State Deputy Governor, Sir Monday Onyeme, has clashed with Nigerian community leaders in Atlanta, United States, over President Bola Tinubu’s performance, with the deputy governor defending the administration’s economic reforms and infrastructure projects while his audience challenged their impact on ordinary Nigerians.
The disagreement, which occurred during Onyeme’s recent working visit to Georgia, exposed a sharp divide over whether the federal government’s policies are delivering the promised transformation or worsening the economic hardship confronting millions of citizens.
While Onyeme described Tinubu as a once-in-a-generation leader whose decisions were repositioning Nigeria for sustainable growth, some members of the audience cited the high cost of living, persistent insecurity, deteriorating highways and alleged irregularities in public procurement as evidence that the administration had fallen short of expectations.
The exchanges became particularly pointed when community leaders Raymond Ekuerhare and Chief Emeka Chimekwene rejected the deputy governor’s glowing assessment, insisting that Nigerians abroad were not relying on social media alone to evaluate developments at home.
Onyeme had accused Nigerians of using social media to spread misinformation, disinformation and half-truths about the achievements of Tinubu’s administration and the government of Delta State Governor, Sheriff Oborevwori.
He argued that such narratives were damaging Nigeria’s international image and preventing citizens abroad from appreciating what he described as the transformative impact of the President’s eight-point Renewed Hope Agenda.
“I have been around for a while, both as a private citizen and now in government. There is no Nigerian leader that even comes close to President Tinubu in terms of achievement, in making tough choices that will set the country apart, now and in the near future,” he said.
The deputy governor, who identified himself as a professional accountant, maintained that the administration’s policies were laying the foundation for long-term economic stability, improved governance and accelerated development.
But Ekuerhare, a business and community leader, who said he travelled to Nigeria almost every other month, disputed that assessment, pointing to the gap between government claims and the realities confronting citizens.
He specifically cited the condition of the Benin-Asaba, Ore-Benin, Benin-Warri and Warri-Ughelli-Bomadi roads, arguing that the state of the highways undermined claims of impressive infrastructure development.
“The eight-point Renewed Hope Agenda is only good on paper but not affecting people’s lives for good,” he said.
Ekuerhare also questioned the administration’s record on security, arguing that insecurity and kidnappings continued to undermine the freedom of movement and economic activities of Nigerians.
Chimekwene, another Delta State community leader in Atlanta, raised concerns over public procurement, particularly contracts he alleged had been awarded without competitive bidding to the Chagoury Group.
He argued that allegations of non-competitive contract awards raised questions about transparency and accountability, insisting that a government seeking to transform the country must demonstrate that public resources are being managed responsibly.
“We don’t depend on social media for serious matters of the state. We have family members at home; their lives and living conditions have not improved under President Tinubu,” he said.
Chimekwene also challenged Onyeme’s economic assessment, arguing that the hardship experienced by households made it difficult to describe the administration’s record as transformational.
He, however, expressed greater confidence in Onyeme’s account of the impact of Governor Oborevwori’s MORE Agenda in Delta State, saying members of the Diaspora could more readily verify some of the state government’s projects during visits home.
Responding to the criticisms, Onyeme insisted that the federal government’s policies had created the conditions enabling state and local governments to pursue development programmes more effectively.
He placed particular emphasis on local government autonomy, describing the Supreme Court’s July 2024 judgment on the financial independence of local councils as a landmark step towards strengthening grassroots governance and advancing true federalism.
The judgment followed the Federal Government’s legal action seeking to protect local governments’ constitutional rights, including their access to funds without unlawful interference by state governments.
Onyeme said successive administrations had failed to fully realise local government autonomy despite reforms introduced in 1976 under the military administration of General Murtala Muhammed and continued under General Olusegun Obasanjo.
He argued that the Tinubu administration had placed the issue at the centre of governance, enabling the country’s 774 local government areas to take greater responsibility for services directly affecting citizens.
According to him, local councils are now better positioned to undertake projects in road construction, primary healthcare, community education, sanitation, waste management and local security.
He also defended the removal of the petrol subsidy, foreign exchange reforms, tax changes and electricity sector reforms, arguing that the measures were designed to eliminate structural weaknesses, improve government revenue and create a more sustainable economic environment.
The deputy governor maintained that the reforms were beginning to produce results, pointing to economic growth in 2025 and 2026, increased emphasis on non-oil activities and improved investor confidence.
However, he acknowledged that the policies had imposed difficulties on households, insisting that the sacrifices would eventually yield long-term benefits.
Infrastructure development became another major point of contention, with Onyeme citing the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, the Sokoto-Badagry Superhighway, the Abuja-Kaduna-Zaria-Kano dual carriageway and the proposed Akwanga-Bauchi-Gombe-Biu-Maiduguri Superhighway as evidence of the administration’s development ambitions.
The projects are intended to improve connectivity, facilitate trade and strengthen economic links between different parts of the country.
But Chimekwene challenged the presentation of the projects as major achievements, arguing that many remained at relatively early stages of completion.
Onyeme acknowledged concerns over the pace of construction, attributing delays in some cases to the technology being deployed for road development.
He nevertheless maintained that the projects represented an important investment in Nigeria’s long-term transport infrastructure.
The disagreement in Atlanta comes against the backdrop of far-reaching economic changes introduced by Tinubu since assuming office in May 2023.
The removal of the petrol subsidy and the unification of the foreign exchange market were among the administration’s earliest major policy decisions, intended to reduce fiscal pressures, improve market efficiency and attract investment.
However, the reforms also contributed to immediate cost pressures, particularly through higher transport and production expenses, while the depreciation of the naira and increases in food prices intensified concerns about household purchasing power.
The administration has subsequently pursued tax reforms, investment initiatives and infrastructure projects as part of its broader economic agenda. Yet the extent to which the resulting growth and government revenue gains translate into better living conditions remains central to the debate over its performance.
Insecurity, including kidnapping and attacks in parts of the country, has also continued to feature prominently in public criticism of government performance.
Against this background, the Atlanta encounter illustrated the difficulty of reconciling the government’s emphasis on macroeconomic reforms and long-term infrastructure investment with citizens’ demands for immediate relief, safer communities and functioning public infrastructure.
Onyeme urged Nigerians in the Diaspora to help correct what he considered misleading narratives about the country and to project Nigeria positively through their words and actions.
The meeting was hosted by Chief Collins Odinjor and his wife, Alero, with support from Mr Kingsley Dike and his wife, Tilda, and Mr Frederick Ogodo and his wife, Henrietta.
Others present included former Super Eagles coach Samson Siasia and his wife, Eunice; Professor Nuru Akinyemi of Kennesaw State University; Dr Dave Ogwu; Mr Felix Ochei; Pastor Orlando Scott; Attorney Ani Alumona Oluku; Mr Henry Nketeh; Ekuerhare; Chimekwene; Mr Ken Eze; and Mrs Ndidi Ogwu, who moderated the question-and-answer session.