The presidential candidate of the Allied Peoples Movement (APM) and Governor of Oyo State, Seyi Makinde, on Monday criticised the economic policies of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration, saying they have deepened hardship and worsened the living conditions of Nigerians.
Makinde, who spoke through his representative, Hon. Babatunde Tijani, during the unveiling of the Ogun APM governorship, senatorial and House of Assembly candidates in Abeokuta, said the country needed a complete reset of its economy, security and governance.
He argued that the removal of fuel subsidy and the floating of the naira were implemented without adequate measures to cushion their impact on ordinary Nigerians.
The Oyo State governor maintained that the government should have prioritised the welfare of citizens before introducing painful economic reforms.
“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?.
“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 stated.
Makinde further lamented the rising cost of living, saying many Nigerians could no longer afford basic necessities.
“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 added.
Also speaking, the Chairman of the APM, Sanyaoluu Abayomi, urged Nigerians to obtain their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) and vote for leaders capable of addressing the country’s economic and security challenges.
According to him, the country requires a new direction that places the welfare of citizens above every other consideration.
He noted that many families could no longer afford school fees and other basic necessities, stressing that government policies should always be designed with the interest of ordinary Nigerians in mind.
The APM chairman questioned the government’s claim that the economy was improving, insisting that the benefits had not been felt by ordinary citizens.
“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, 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 stated.
Abayomi said the APM was offering Nigerians an alternative platform and appealed to eligible voters to collect their PVCs and support the party’s candidates in future elections.
