Tinubu’s Reforms Better Than Subsidy Return, Says Adeyeye

The National Chairman of the South-West Agenda for Asiwaju (SWAGA), Senator Dayo Adeyeye, has rejected calls for the restoration of fuel subsidy, arguing that reversing President Bola Tinubu’s economic reforms would plunge Nigeria back into deeper economic crisis.

Adeyeye said Nigerians were already beginning to experience the benefits of the reforms despite the continued pressure on household incomes and the cost of living.

He spoke on Monday during an interview on Beyond the Headlines with Nifemi Oguntoye on TVC News.

His comments came against the backdrop of opposition proposals to introduce a targeted subsidy aimed at reducing the cost of petrol and easing the burden on Nigerians.

Adeyeye argued that restoring subsidy was not a sustainable solution to the country’s economic problems.

“Reducing subsidy, restoring back subsidy is not the answer. It’s going to fully collapse the economy,” he said.

He maintained that the Tinubu administration inherited an economy that was already in severe difficulty and had taken difficult decisions to prevent a deeper crisis.

According to Adeyeye, inflation had begun to decline and would fall further as the reforms continued to take effect.

He acknowledged that Nigerians were still facing economic hardship but argued that the situation was better than before, particularly for pensioners, civil servants and families with children in tertiary institutions.

He cited the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) as one of the administration’s interventions, saying parents were being relieved of some of the financial burden associated with tertiary education.

Adeyeye also said the payment of outstanding pensions and gratuities had provided relief for retired workers who had previously gone for years without receiving their entitlements.

He argued that regular payment of salaries and pensions was itself an important component of poverty reduction.

The former minister also claimed that the economy was expanding, pointing to growth in manufacturing and agriculture, as well as improvements in electricity supply.

He said government support for agriculture, including the deployment of thousands of tractors and other agricultural equipment, would further boost production.

Adeyeye dismissed the argument that Nigerians would vote against Tinubu because of the hardship associated with the reforms, saying many citizens understood that the policies were designed to put the economy on a more sustainable path.

“People may still say, okay, things are hard, people will always say things are hard, but things are relatively better than they used to be,” he said.

He also rejected the idea that restoring fuel subsidy would provide a lasting solution to the cost-of-living crisis, arguing that the policy would place additional pressure on government finances.

Adeyeye’s comments come as economic hardship, fuel prices and the future of subsidy policy emerge as major issues likely to shape the 2027 presidential campaign.

He maintained that the ultimate impact of Tinubu’s reforms on living standards would strengthen the President’s case for another term in office.