Former Acting National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Hilliard Etta, has defended President Bola Tinubu’s security record, insisting that fewer Nigerians have died under the current administration than under previous governments.
Speaking in an interview with ARISE NEWS on Sunday, Etta argued that assessments of the government should be based on comparative data rather than public perception. “Far less people have died under Asiwaju Bola Tinubu than any government from the time, It’s on the newspapers. It’s on the newspapers. It’s on the terrorism index.”
He challenged claims that insecurity had worsened under the current administration, dismissing suggestions that more Nigerians had died under Tinubu than terrorists had been neutralised. “Don’t say that, please. You stand down here and teach the military personnel well. Do not do that to our military personnel. The people that have been neutralised by our military personnel are over and above the people that have been neutralised by our military personnel.”
Etta also defended the broader performance of the Tinubu administration, arguing that despite economic hardship, the government had embarked on unprecedented infrastructure development across the country. “The only time we have had the level of infrastructural investment that we have in Nigeria is during the war time, let me say that the level of infrastructural development in this country in the past two years is unprecedented. As we speak, there are 2,700 kilometres of road, concrete reinforced roads going on in Nigeria today, no government outside of the government of Tinubu have been able to do this.”
According to him, thousands of kilometres of roads are currently under construction nationwide. “As we speak, there are 2,700 kilometres of road, concrete reinforced roads going on in Nigeria today. No, this is unprecedented. In three years, no government outside of the government of Tinubu have been able to do this.”
Etta further pointed to improvements in key economic indicators, including foreign reserves. “Now, Nigeria is one of the fastest-growing economies in the world today, with about 4.3% we have pushed our reserves to nearly 50 billion US billion.”
“The Nigerian Stock Exchange is perhaps the most lucrative in the world today. When we took over in 2023, the old share index was at about 50,000 points. Today, it’s about 250,000 points, and it has moved from market capitalisation of about 30 trillion naira to about 150 trillion naira so you put all of these indicators together, you would have the impression that Nigeria is going in the right direction.”
While acknowledging that many Nigerians were yet to feel the benefits of those gains, Etta emphasised that. “But having said so, I will agree that it has not trickled down to the dining tables of the average Nigerian family. Now, the government is aware that there are certain T’s to be crossed and certain I’s to be dotted to make these overwhelming positive indicators begin to reflect on the lives of Nigerians, one of the things that we have to understand is that these things take time. These things take time to trickle down the process of bringing down these macroeconomic indicators will reflect on the lives of the Nigerians that will reflect on the poverty level of the entire country that will reflect on bringing down the level of inaccessibility to certain sectors like education, like health, like agriculture, and the rest but having said so, I will agree that it has not trickled down to the dining tables of the average Nigerian family.”
“One of the things that we have to understand is that these things take time. These things take time to trickle down.”
The former APC chairman also insisted that his support for President Tinubu was not driven by personal benefit. “But let me say that in the past three years, I have gained absolutely nothing from this government as you are aware, I was appointed the chairman of the APC about a year and three months ago, and I haven’t been inaugurated into office. Nobody can accuse me of defending the government because it has benefited me personally.”
“But let me say that in the past three years, I have gained absolutely nothing from this government. Nobody can accuse me of defending the government because it has benefited me personally.”
On economic policy, however, Etta openly disagreed with the President’s position on price controls, arguing that government should intervene to prevent arbitrary increases in the prices of consumer goods.
“Like in the area of price gouging, I disagree with the president. I do not believe that the people should be allowed, or the market should be allowed to set prices up for consumer goods in Nigeria.”
He also criticised Nigeria’s trade policy, arguing that the country should reduce dependence on imports and focus on local manufacturing.
“I don’t think that Nigeria should be a dumping ground for any Chinese economy, for any European economy, or any American economy I believe that everything should be done for consumer goods that are produced and that are consumed in Nigeria to be produced in Nigeria.”
Despite concerns over poverty, food insecurity and the cost of living, Etta explained that the reforms being implemented by the Tinubu administration were necessary and would ultimately benefit the country.
“The Nigerian people are aware. They have been sufficiently assured by the projects they have seen in their neighbourhoods that this president means well for them.”
“And that, like he keeps saying, that these reforms are necessary.”
Erizia Rubyjeana
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