A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Osun State Olatunbosun Oyintiloye has said President Bola Ahmed Tinubu deserves encouragement from Nigerians instead of the harsh criticism he is getting over the ongoing economic reforms.
In a statement yesterday in Osogbo the state capital Oyintiloye said President Tinubu means well for Nigerians and should not be blamed as though he were the cause of the country’s economic challenges.
The APC chieftain acknowledged the prevailing economic hardship but said the President was working to address the situation.
He said the major economic reforms the Tinubu administration introduced including fuel subsidy removal and floating of the naira were intended to stabilise the economy for the benefit of Nigerians.
According to him although the policies are tough they are necessary and have begun to yield positive results.
‘What the President needs at this point is our encouragement not harsh criticism or name-calling.
‘What he met when he assumed office was a battered economy and since then he has been working round the clock to address the economic crisis.
‘We should all remember that he was not the architect of the current economic challenges we are facing and he cannot solve all the problems at once’ Oyintiloye said.
The former Osun State House of Assembly member also urged opposition figures using the prevailing economic challenges to campaign against President Tinubu ahead of the 2027 general election to have a rethink.
He asserted that none of the opposition candidates contesting for the nation’s number one seat in 2027 has the capacity to outperform President Tinubu considering their antecedents in past political offices.
‘It would therefore be unwise to weaponise the current economic challenges which the President is trying to address against his presidential ambition’ he said.
The APC chieftain urged the President to do everything within his power to alleviate the suffering of Nigerians.
He acknowledged that despite the administration’s efforts to improve the economy many Nigerians were still experiencing severe hardship.
Oyintiloye also appealed to the President to review the various social intervention programmes meant to reduce hardship among vulnerable groups and to strengthen other economic policies to ease the burden on the masses.
The former lawmaker expressed optimism that President Tinubu would secure a landslide victory in the 2027 presidential election citing what he called the President’s achievements across various sectors.
He urged Nigerians to continue to pray for the President and support his efforts to move the country forward.