Reno Omokri, a former presidential aide to ex-President Goodluck Jonathan, has weighed in on the ongoing public perception that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s popularity is on the decline.
Speaking on Channels Television’s flagship political programme, Politics Today, on Wednesday, Omokri offered a historical perspective, stating that mid-term discontent is a common trend in Nigerian presidential administrations.
Responding to a question on why Tinubu seems to be losing public support, Omokri said:
> “That is always the case in Nigeria. The best predictor of the future is the past in every administration. When you have the two-way mark of your first term, when people are feeling the effects of your reform, they are going to have that kind of feeling."
He explained that similar phases of public disapproval had been recorded during the tenures of past Nigerian leaders.
> “It happened to General Olusegun Obasanjo. Yar’Adua did not have that because of his illness. It happened to President Jonathan. It happened to Buhari— even worse than it’s happening to Bola Tinubu,” he noted.
Despite the current hardships, Omokri expressed cautious optimism about the country’s direction under Tinubu, pointing to improvements in the agricultural sector as a sign of progress.
> “Look, your governor was talking about it. The agricultural input of Nigeria has improved, so things are going to get better,” he added.
Encouraging patience, Omokri asserted that while instant transformation is unrealistic, sustained reforms could yield long-term benefits.
> “Nigeria is not going to get to El Dorado overnight, but we are going to get there over time.”
Omokri's comments come amid increasing public frustration over rising inflation, economic uncertainty, and the lingering effects of subsidy removal — factors that have deeply affected public morale since Tinubu assumed office in 2023.
