Minister’s aide Onigbinde resigns amid social media backlash

The Technical Adviser to the Minister of State for Budget and National Planning, Oluseun Onigbinde, has resigned his appointment.

This followed public outcry against his appointment.

Onigbinde, a Co-founder of BudgIT, announced his resignation on Monday.

Prior to the re-election of President Muhammadu Buhari, he had tweeted that whoever planned to vote for the President in 2019 did not love Nigeria.



He wrote: “I will say this for the last time, if you plan to vote for Buhari or you encourage him for another term, you really don’t love Nigeria. You are either a closet ethnic jingoist or someone who worships mediocrity.”

His acceptance to work under the same administration he had vehemently criticised backfired.

Many users of the social media blasted him for taking up the job and described him as a man “without integrity”.

He announced his resignation on his Medium page, a link he shared on his official Twitter handle.

Onigbinde said recent reports about his appointment had created a complex narrative, “which I believe would engender an atmosphere of mistrust, as I planned to proceed”.

He added: “Upon further reflections on the furore that has been generated by my new role as the Technical Adviser to the Minister of State for Budget and National Planning, I humbly resign the appointment.”

“I am very grateful to the Minister, Prince Clem Ikanade Agba, for believing in my expertise and I also thank everyone who sent his or her congratulations to me in the short period. I have also been humbled by the faith and belief that numerous persons have expressed in me,” he wrote.

Onigbinde said his sincere interest is to see a Nigeria that grows and optimises resources for the benefits of all Nigerians, adding: “My loyalty to the good cause of our nation, Nigeria compelled me to accept the call to provide technical skills and this experience has more than strengthened it.

“I also want to wish the Nigerian Government, led by President Muhammadu Buhari, well. I will always be of help to the federal government in my capacity as the Director of BudgIT, a critical fiscal transparency group, as I have been to several agencies. I would also work to ensure that BudgIT continues to build civic awareness on the right of every Nigerian to know how public resources are managed. Thank you all.”