Abia State Governor Alex Otti has defended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s economic policies, arguing that the current hardship faced by Nigerians is a consequence of years of poor economic decisions rather than the president’s reforms.
Otti spoke on Tuesday while hosting First Lady Oluremi Tinubu, who visited Abia State to celebrate the state’s Akwete weaving tradition. He urged her to convey his appreciation to President Tinubu for what he described as bold and courageous leadership.
“I want to also plead with you to take our felicitations to His Excellency, the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu,” he said.
“I want you to please thank him. Thank him for his courage. Thank him for the sacrifices. Some people may not understand; it takes a man with courage to do what he did in 2023: remove petroleum subsidy and follow suit with the floating of the naira.”
The governor said the removal of fuel subsidy and the foreign exchange reforms had increased available resources for governments at all levels.
“What has that done? That has freed up a lot of funds that would have been used in financing consumption to doing other things in the federal government, in the states, and in the local governments,” he said.
“And today, a lot of states are not owing salaries. A lot of states are able to build infrastructure. A lot of states are able to empower people to produce rather than consume.”
Otti acknowledged that the reforms had created immediate economic difficulties but maintained that such measures were necessary to achieve long-term stability.
“Now, make no mistakes about it, every courageous decision, every courageous action has its own consequences, so if you remove subsidy and if you float the naira, it will take its toll, and over time the economy will begin to correct,” he added.
“So what you see that people interpret as hardship today are a fallout of previous bad behaviour.”
