The presidential candidate of the Allied Peoples Movement (APM), Seyi Makinde, has criticised the economic policies of the President Bola Tinubu-led Federal Government, saying they have worsened hardship and increased the cost of living for Nigerians.
NEWSNGR reports that Makinde, who is also the Governor of Oyo State, spoke on Monday in Abeokuta, Ogun State, during the unveiling of the APM’s governorship, senatorial and House of Assembly candidates.
The governor, who was represented at the event by a party leader, Hon. Babatunde Tijani, said Nigeria needed a comprehensive reset of its economy, security and governance.
He argued that some of the economic reforms introduced by the Federal Government, particularly the removal of fuel subsidy and the floating of the naira, had placed additional pressure on ordinary Nigerians.
‘We Have To Reset Nigeria’
Makinde said the government ought to have put adequate measures in place to protect citizens from the immediate effects of the reforms before implementing them.
“We have to reset Nigeria in every respect—our economy, our security and the overall well-being of the people. Before now, many Nigerians could sleep with both eyes closed because they felt relatively safe. Can we honestly say that is still the case today?” he asked.
The governor said the removal of the fuel subsidy without sufficient palliatives had made life more difficult for Nigerians, particularly as the naira was also floated around the same period.
“A right-thinking government should not remove fuel subsidies without first putting adequate palliative measures in place to cushion the impact on ordinary citizens. Instead, the subsidy was removed, and at the same time, the naira was floated, placing additional economic pressure on Nigerians.
“No country should implement such far-reaching economic policies simultaneously without considering their effects on the people,” he added.
Makinde further expressed concern over the rising cost of food and other basic necessities, saying the economic situation had made it difficult for many families to meet their daily needs.
“Today, many Nigerians can no longer afford three square meals a day. Compare the price of fuel before with what it is today, and the hardship facing citizens becomes obvious.
“Yet, despite these realities, the government continues to celebrate its policies. The true measure of any economic policy is its impact on the lives of the people, and Nigerians are yet to experience the expected relief,” he said.
The Oyo governor maintained that the success of any government should be measured by the quality of life of the people, insisting that citizens should be able to feel the impact of economic reforms in their daily lives.
Also speaking at the event, the National Chairman of the APM, Sanyaolu Abayomi, urged Nigerians who had yet to obtain their Permanent Voter Cards to do so and support leaders who could address the country’s economic and security challenges.
Abayomi said Nigeria needed a new direction that would place the welfare of citizens at the centre of government policies.
He noted that many families were struggling to pay school fees, feed their children and meet other basic needs, despite claims that the economy was improving.
The APM chairman questioned the government’s claim of economic progress, arguing that the benefits of the reforms had yet to reach ordinary Nigerians.
‘People Need Relief’
Abayomi said the government should have introduced temporary relief measures to reduce the impact of its economic reforms on citizens while waiting for long-term policies to yield results.
“Policies that have far-reaching effects on the lives of the people should not be introduced without adequate cushioning measures to protect ordinary Nigerians. What we are asking for are temporary relief measures that will reduce the hardship while long-term economic reforms take effect.
“You cannot implement several painful economic policies at the same time and expect the people not to suffer. The welfare of the people should always come first.
“Consider the price of fuel and compare what Nigerians paid before with what they are paying today. The government says it has stabilised the exchange rate, but Nigerians are asking: from what level to what level? The naira rose to about N1,500 to the dollar, dropped to around N1,300, and the government celebrates that as an achievement. Ordinary Nigerians are yet to feel the impact of those improvements,” he said.
Abayomi said the APM was presenting itself as an alternative political platform for Nigerians seeking a different approach to governance.
He therefore appealed to eligible voters to obtain their PVCs and support the party’s candidates in future elections, saying the country needed leaders who would prioritise the welfare and security of the people.
