(Daniel Bwala. Photo by Businessday)
The Presidency has responded to the wave of Nigerians who stormed the World Bank’s social media pages urging the international lender to cut off loans to Nigeria.
In what became a notable online movement, large numbers of Nigerians flooded the World Bank’s social media handles, openly appealing to the institution to stop extending loans to the country a demonstration of widespread frustration with the government’s borrowing habits.
Speaking in a televised interview on Thursday, President Bola Tinubu’s Special Adviser on Policy Communication, Daniel Bwala, acknowledged the online protests but urged caution in interpreting them, suggesting that with elections on the horizon, it was difficult to determine whether those behind the campaign were genuine concerned citizens or opposition actors.
He stressed, however, that regardless of who was involved, the government has a constitutional duty to govern and cannot be swayed by social media sentiment alone.
He argued that while leadership requires listening to the people, the execution of governmental responsibilities must be guided by law rather than by online trends.
Bwala also raised a practical question if one group of Nigerians online says do not borrow, and another group says go ahead and borrow, which voice should the government follow?
He maintained that sound leadership cannot be dictated by opinions that lack legal backing.
He further defended the administration’s borrowing record, pointing out that the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund, and relevant financial experts have all indicated that Nigeria’s current level of borrowing remains within acceptable limits.
