Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Barau Jibrin, has challenged former Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo’s assessment of Nigeria’s economic and democratic challenges, arguing that President Bola Tinubu’s administration is working to address longstanding problems but has failed to communicate its efforts effectively to Nigerians.
Barau said public dissatisfaction with the economy and democratic governance, highlighted by Osinbajo through Afrobarometer surveys, partly reflected a disconnect between government policies and citizens’ understanding of what the authorities were doing to improve their lives.

He spoke on Tuesday 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 from 2015 to 2023, had raised concerns about growing public dissatisfaction with democracy, economic hardship, declining confidence in government and weakening youth participation in electoral politics.

Citing Afrobarometer findings, the former Vice-President said 64 per cent of Africans preferred democracy to other forms of government, but only 38 per cent were satisfied with how democracy was working in their countries.
He also cited figures indicating that 59 per cent of Africans considered their national economies to be in poor condition, while 51 per cent believed their economies had deteriorated.

Osinbajo warned that rising living costs, unemployment, inadequate healthcare and declining voter participation could further erode public confidence in democratic governance, particularly among young people.
Responding, Barau described the presentation as thought-provoking but argued that the negative public perception identified by the surveys did not fully reflect the efforts being made by governments to address the challenges.

“I know he is a very good orator, a good public speaker and an intellectual to the core,” Barau said of Osinbajo.
He added that communication remained a major weakness in the relationship between political leaders and the people they governed.

“One important reason for the gloomy picture portrayed by the surveys, particularly those conducted by Afrobarometer, is what the professor talked about and specifically observed: the issue of communication between the leaders and the led.
“There is no proper communication,” he said.

Barau maintained that the Federal Government was addressing critical development challenges through investments in education, infrastructure and other sectors, insisting that Nigerians needed better information about ongoing policies and projects.
On education, he cited the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND), introduced under Tinubu’s administration, as an intervention intended to expand access to higher education for students who might otherwise struggle to afford it.

“Before now, it was very difficult for a child who did not have the means to go to school. Now, everyone, except a child who does not want to go to school in Nigeria, can go to school with the NELFUND introduced by this administration,” he said.
The senator also pointed to road construction projects, including the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway and the Badagry-Sokoto Highway, as examples of efforts to address infrastructure deficits and stimulate economic activity.

He argued that reliable road networks, water supply and other essential infrastructure were necessary to improve living standards and support economic growth.
“When we talk about economic prosperity, you cannot achieve it without a certain level of infrastructure, including road networks, water supply and other essential infrastructure,” Barau said.

He acknowledged that addressing Nigeria’s development challenges would take time but insisted that progress was being made, reiterating that inadequate communication had prevented the government from effectively conveying its efforts to the public.
On the rising cost of living, Barau argued that domestic economic pressures should also be considered alongside international developments affecting energy prices, production costs and global supply chains.

He cited the Russia-Ukraine war and conflicts in the Middle East as factors contributing to global economic uncertainty and higher costs of goods and services.
The senator also referenced instability around the Strait of Hormuz, a major international oil transit route, as a factor affecting energy markets.

“The fact is that these challenges are not peculiar to Nigeria; they have an international dimension,” he said, adding that global conflicts had disrupted supply chains and driven up energy prices.
“Nigeria is not an island,” he added.

Barau, who is also First Deputy Speaker of the ECOWAS Parliament, called on political leaders and public officials to improve engagement with citizens by explaining government policies, acknowledging the difficulties confronting households and providing clearer information about the progress of economic recovery efforts.
He maintained that better communication was necessary to bridge the gap between public expectations and the government’s account of its performance.