Give Tinubu Two Years To Fix Economy, Lawmaker Begs Nigerians

• Leke Joseph Abejide urges Nigerians to endure economic challenges, assuring positive results from President Tinubu’s policies within two years
• Abejide compares economic reforms to childbirth, expressing confidence in Tinubu’s financial expertise for visible economic transformation

Leke Joseph Abejide, Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Customs and Excise, urges Nigerians to endure soaring living costs. He believes that the economic policies pursued by President Tinubu’s administration will bring about a transformative change soon.

Speaking at a civic reception in Kano, where he was honoured as the Asiwaju of Yoruba, Abejide compared the current economic situation to the pain of childbirth. Despite acknowledging the discomfort, he emphasized the need to give the administration at least two years to witness the impact of its policies, assuring that the economy will undergo a positive transformation.

Abejide highlighted President Tinubu’s financial expertise, expressing confidence in his ability to implement effective solutions. This comes when many Nigerians grapple with rising living costs, which is evident in the recent consumer price index released by the National Bureau of Statistics.

In December, the headline inflation figure surged to 28.92 percent, a notable increase from the previous month’s 28.20 percent recorded in November 2023. The repercussions are felt across various sectors, with the price of a 50kg bag of locally milled rice skyrocketing from N47,000 in January 2024 to a current range of N58,500 to N60,000 in Kano.

Protests have erupted among Gurasa makers, decrying the escalating price of flour, now at N43,000 per 50kg. The staple food for ordinary citizens, maize flour, is sold at N2,000 per measure. These economic challenges have sparked public outcry, with many expressing discontent over the border closure.

Responding to concerns about the hardship induced by the border closure, Abejide explained that countries like Niger, Mali, and Burkina Faso are under military rule. He argued that this trend could negatively impact other West African nations if left unchecked. The lawmaker defended the border closure, attributing it to the containment of the proliferation of light weapons in the country.

While acknowledging the temporary difficulties faced by markets, particularly the Kano market, Abejide remains optimistic that the pains will soon subside. He emphasized the importance of persevering through these challenges, trusting that the long-term benefits of the administration’s policies will positively transform the Nigerian economy.