Former minority leader, House of Representatives and chieftain of the All Progressives Congress, (APC), has defended the economic reforms introduced by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, insisting that three years is too short to fully assess the impact of the administration’s policies.
Speaking during an interview with ARISE NEWS on Friday, Hon. Aliyu acknowledged the pains Nigerians are facing but maintained that the government’s decisions, particularly the removal of fuel subsidy, were necessary to save the country from deeper fiscal challenges.
“Yes, there are difficulties and challenges in the country because of the subsidy removal and, of course, the exchange program that was introduced. Yes, it’s true. We, as a government, have acknowledged these pains that people are going through. But then, it is extremely necessary.
“So, we still appeal to Nigerians to give us time. Three years is too small for us to have a total impact from the programs we are running,” he appealed.
Aliyu further argued that Nigeria’s economic difficulties cannot be separated from global realities, noting that many countries across the world are facing similar pressures caused by conflicts, inflation, and economic instability.
According to him, ongoing wars and global economic disruptions have worsened domestic challenges, contributing significantly to the hardship currently experienced by Nigerians.
“Also, Nigeria is not an island. The problems are pervasive worldwide. These challenges are not just restricted to Nigeria; they are all over the world. There are challenges everywhere—wars all over the place and so on. These have also significantly contributed to the problems we are having in the country. So, these are challenges in the world. As I said, Nigeria is not an island, which is why these things are also happening here,” he said.
Highlighting some of the administration’s interventions, Hon. Aliyu pointed to the student loan scheme, expanded health insurance coverage, and ongoing infrastructure projects across the country.
“But despite all the difficulties, the government has put so many programs in place: The Student Loan Scheme: This is a novelty in this country that has never happened before. It’s there, and everybody is benefiting. The Health Insurance Scheme: More people are now on board. Infrastructure Development: Projects are going on all over the country, among so many other things,” he outlined.
Speaking on insecurity and kidnappings across Nigeria, Hon. Aliyu said security agencies are handling operations carefully and working to safely rescue victims.
“Yes, in terms of security, there are challenges where you have bandits and kidnappings all over the place. But is the government doing something about it? Yes, it is. You see, there are so many things in the security situation that cannot be spoken out loud for you and me to know, but talking to the security agencies, we know what they are doing. The government is trying its best,” he stressed.
Addressing instability in the power sector, the APC chieftain expressed optimism that ongoing reforms in transmission and generation infrastructure, alongside anti-corruption efforts, will gradually improve electricity supply across the country.
“There are power grid losses in the country, but the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) is doing its best to ensure stability. Then, of course, there is the corruption that has been in the power sector, which this government is trying to tackle to ensure it is reduced to the barest minimum. I’m sure in the not-too-distant future, there will be improvement,” he noted.
Adding, Aliyu said the Tinubu administration has overhauled the security architecture, insisting security forces are working hard and that insecurity has not overwhelmed the country.
“Remember when President Tinubu came, part of the things he did was to rejig the security architecture of this country. This is the first time within a very short period that the security apparatus has been completely overhauled, and they are doing their best. It’s true there is insecurity, but is it too bad? No. It is bad, but it’s not ‘too bad.’ It is not so bad that you could say the government has lost control of the country. There are challenges, of course, which the government of the day is trying as much as possible to ensure are tackled to the barest minimum. So, we are trying our best as a government,” he insisted.
On the impact of President Tinubu’s foreign trips, Aliyu said they have attracted investments, including a £780 million marine sector deal, which he said will improve port operations and create jobs over time.
“About a month or a month and a half ago, the President was in the UK as well, where he secured about 780 million pounds into the marine industry, and that work is ongoing now. This is the first time we’re going to have a deep sea port in this country, which we’ve never had. This is all part of the investment. When the ports are working very well and goods are moving all over the place, you will see more employment. That will translate into investment in the country,” he said.
Defending the ruling government’s borrowing, Aliyu said it is driven by revenue shortfalls and the need to fund ongoing infrastructure projects, adding that recent revenue reforms are expected to improve fiscal performance over time.
“We have still not reached our revenue targets. These are all part of the calculations and assumptions people make before they come into government. Then, when you are faced with reality, that’s why we go for these debts all over the place—to ensure we meet our revenue targets, execute our projects, and so on. And these things are happening; infrastructure development is happening all over the country. You need money to do these things.
“Still, the new revenue formula just came into place. It’s probably by the end of this year that we are going to see the total impact of the revenue accruing to the country so that these debts will be paid off, and more projects will be done. That is why,” he explained.
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