Chief of Staff to President Bola Tinubu, Femi Gbajabiamila, has admitted that the President’s economic policies have placed considerable pressure on Nigerian households, saying nobody should pretend that life is easy in the country at the moment.
Gbajabiamila, however, defended the administration’s economic reforms, insisting that Tinubu took difficult decisions in the long-term interest of the country rather than prioritise immediate political gains.
The former Speaker of the House of Representatives spoke on Tuesday in Abuja at the unveiling of the administration’s 2027–2031 electoral roadmap, titled, From Reforms to Prosperity Agenda.
He specifically acknowledged that the removal of petrol subsidy and the unification of the foreign exchange market had imposed significant economic hardship on households, but argued that the decisions were necessary to address longstanding structural problems in the economy.
“Now, those decisions have placed real pressure on households. We must speak honestly about that experience because the people living through it deserve to be heard. And nobody should have to pretend that life is easy at the moment,” he said.
Gbajabiamila said Tinubu could have maintained the existing economic policies to avoid public backlash but chose to confront the country’s economic challenges despite the immediate consequences.
According to him, the President decided to govern as a statesman rather than a politician concerned primarily about winning the next election.
“If he came in as a politician and decided to govern as a politician, he would have continued on the cruise, on the path that we were taking.
“But instead, knowing full well the immediate consequences, he decided he would govern as a leader,” he said.
The Chief of Staff, however, said the ultimate justification for the reforms would be their ability to translate economic improvements into better living conditions for ordinary Nigerians.
He described the administration’s new electoral roadmap as a reflection of Tinubu’s political philosophy and commitment to long-term national development.
Gbajabiamila said the government’s objective was to build an economy where hard work would guarantee a decent livelihood and every Nigerian would have a fair opportunity to succeed.
He also listed some of the administration’s interventions in human capital development, social protection, taxation and electricity as evidence of its efforts to expand economic opportunities.
Among the initiatives he highlighted were the N-Power programme and the student loan scheme, which he said were designed to improve access to opportunities and ease the financial burden on young Nigerians.
On taxation, he said the reforms were aimed at promoting fiscal fairness by reducing the burden on low-income earners and qualifying small businesses.
He also cited the Electricity Act, which empowers states to establish and regulate their electricity markets, as part of efforts to attract investment and improve access to power.
Gbajabiamila urged members and stakeholders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to defend the administration’s record and engage Nigerians directly on its policies.
He said the ruling party must be prepared to account for its performance and earn the support of voters through its achievements rather than political rhetoric.
“The party asking to continue in government must be prepared to answer the people whose mandate it seeks.
“We must earn support through the quality of work, through the quality of our case and the seriousness of our conduct,” Gbajabiamila said.
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