The Presidency has defended President Bola Tinubu’s decision to appoint a large media team, calling it a strategic effort to improve communication with Nigerians.
Speaking in an interview on TVC’s Beyond 100 Days with Nifemi Oguntoye on Wednesday, Tinubu’s Special Adviser on Media and Public Communication, Sunday Dare, emphasized that the President has the constitutional right to assemble a team that suits his needs.
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“The President is the Commander-in-Chief. He builds his team,” Dare explained. “By law, he can appoint between 25 and 40 special advisers, as approved by the National Assembly. If you look at it, he is not even halfway through that.”
Dare’s comments came in response to criticism from a column in Sunday PUNCH, titled When the President Needs an Army of Town Criers, which questioned the size and efficiency of Tinubu’s media team amid Nigeria’s ongoing economic challenges.
On November 18, Tinubu reshuffled his media and communications team, appointing Bayo Onanuga, Sunday Dare, and Daniel Bwala as spokespersons. A statement released that evening clarified that there is no single spokesperson for the Presidency. Instead, all three special advisers will collectively serve as spokespeople, ensuring clear and consistent communication of government policies, decisions, and engagements.
With these new appointments, the President’s media team now includes 12 officials.
Dare argued that the focus should not be on the size of the media team but on its effectiveness in delivering government messages. He pointed to the example of the United States, noting its large media apparatus as a model. “Look at the American presidency—the largest democracy in the world. They have several layers of people speaking for the government at various levels, all singing from the same hymn sheet,” Dare said.
“What’s important is that we’ve seen a need to deepen communication and ensure Nigerians consistently understand the government’s policies and initiatives.”
Addressing concerns about the cost of governance, Dare highlighted efforts to reduce spending in critical areas such as security and ministerial operations. “The number of security aides assigned to ministers and the fleet of vehicles they manage has been reduced,” he revealed.
Dare also pointed to improvements in macroeconomic management, noting a reduction in Nigeria’s debt service to revenue ratio from around 90% to 68%. He added, “We’re steadily repaying 16 inherited loans. Nigeria is inching towards a $1 trillion economy.”
Dare urged Nigerians to focus on these significant indicators of progress, calling for patience and trust in Tinubu’s approach. “Once you can bring down the big numbers, you free up resources for the country,” he said. “I think we should give this President the benefit of the doubt. He has brought in core professionals to handle this job, and their work will speak for itself.”
He concluded by stressing that the expanded media team is a necessary step to ensure transparency and build public trust in the government’s efforts.
