The Presidency says presidential candidates Atiku Abubakar and Peter Obi are not interested in Nigeria’s improving foreign reserves. In statements attributed to the Special Adviser on Information and Strategy to President Bola Tinubu, Bayo Onanuga, the government points to an increase in Nigeria’s foreign exchange reserves to $51.04 billion as of June 18. The Presidency says this level is the highest Nigeria’s foreign reserves have reached in 17 years and contrasts it with figures from earlier in the period. Onanuga is also reported as saying the reserves were $50.5 billion in January 2009, using this comparison to argue that the current figure represents progress. The Presidency’s broader claim is that Atiku and Obi have remained silent or dismissive about the development, despite what it describes as solid achievements under the Tinubu administration. The reports present the issue as a political exchange over how candidates are responding to the reported reserves improvement.