Labour Party Condemns Tinubu for Rewarding Super Falcons in US Dollars

• The Labour Party, led by Senator Nenadi Usman, has criticized President Bola Tinubu for presenting cash rewards to Nigeria’s Super Falcons in US dollars instead of the Naira.

• President Tinubu announced $100,000 in appreciation for Super Falcons players, sparking debate with opposition party calling it shameful and unpatriotic.

The Labour Party (LP), led by its interim national chairman, Senator Nenadi Usman, has harshly criticized President Bola Tinubu’s decision to reward members of Nigeria’s Super Falcons in US dollars rather than in the local currency, the Naira.

President Tinubu had earlier announced that each player of the national women’s football team would receive “the equivalent of $100,000” for their recent victory. While the gesture was meant as a commendation, it has stirred widespread backlash from critics who see it as a slap in the face of Nigeria’s struggling economy.

In a statement issued through her Senior Special Adviser on Media, Ken Eluma Asogwa, Senator Usman described the move as “deeply unpatriotic” and said it reinforces negative perceptions about the declining status of the Naira.

“The Naira has been one of the worst-performing currencies in Sub-Saharan Africa, depreciating by approximately 43% year-to-date. The Tinubu administration, overseeing the free fall of the Naira from N500 to over N1,500 to the dollar, ends up promoting a mindset that elevates the dollar over the national currency,” the statement read.

The party expressed concern that such symbolic acts could have long-term consequences on national identity and economic independence, especially when Nigerians are being asked to endure the pain of inflation and currency devaluation.

Usman urged the federal government to urgently implement policies aimed at defending the Naira and reviving faith in Nigeria’s economy.

“Leadership must lead by example. At a time when the nation’s economic morale is fragile, promoting the dollar over the Naira only widens the trust deficit,” she added.

The LP concluded by calling on President Tinubu to re-evaluate such decisions and ensure that national pride and sovereignty are not undermined in the pursuit of grand gestures.