Oyo State Governor and presidential candidate of the Allied Peoples Movement, Seyi Makinde, has condemned the economic policies introduced by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration, insisting they have intensified hardship and significantly increased the cost of living for Nigerians.
Makinde made the remarks on Monday in Abeokuta, Ogun State, during the presentation of the APM’s governorship, senatorial and House of Assembly candidates.
Speaking through a party chieftain, Hon. Babatunde Tijani, the governor maintained that the country needed a complete overhaul of its economy, security architecture and governance system, arguing that recent policy decisions had placed an unbearable burden on citizens.
He said the Federal Government failed to put adequate relief measures in place before implementing the removal of fuel subsidy and the floating of the naira, leaving millions of Nigerians to bear the consequences.
“We have to reset Nigeria in every respect—our economy, our security and the overall well-being of the people. Before now, many Nigerians could sleep with both eyes closed because they felt relatively safe. Can we honestly say that is still the case today?” he asked.
Makinde argued that the government should have prioritised citizens’ welfare before introducing the reforms.
“A right-thinking government should not remove fuel subsidies without first putting adequate palliative measures in place to cushion the impact on ordinary citizens. Instead, the subsidy was removed, and at the same time, the naira was floated, placing additional economic pressure on Nigerians.
“No country should implement such far-reaching economic policies simultaneously without considering their effects on the people,” he added.
“Today, many Nigerians can no longer afford three square meals a day. Compare the price of fuel before with what it is today, and the hardship facing citizens becomes obvious.
“Yet, despite these realities, the government continues to celebrate its policies. The true measure of any economic policy is its impact on the lives of the people, and Nigerians are yet to experience the expected relief,” he said.
The governor further lamented the worsening cost of living, saying rising prices had made it increasingly difficult for many households to meet their daily needs.
Also addressing the gathering, APM National Chairman Sanyaolu Abayomi called on Nigerians to register for and collect their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs), urging them to support leaders with the capacity to tackle the nation’s economic and security problems.
According to him, the country requires a new leadership approach that places citizens’ welfare at the centre of governance, noting that many families now struggle to pay school fees and provide for basic necessities.
Abayomi also challenged the Federal Government’s assertion that the economy was improving, maintaining that the claimed gains had not translated into better living conditions for ordinary Nigerians.
“Policies that have far-reaching effects on the lives of the people should not be introduced without adequate cushioning measures to protect ordinary Nigerians. What we are asking for are temporary relief measures that will reduce the hardship while long-term economic reforms take effect.
“You cannot implement several painful economic policies at the same time and expect the people not to suffer. The welfare of the people should always come first.
“Consider the price of fuel and compare what Nigerians paid before with what they are paying today. The government says it has stabilised the exchange rate, but Nigerians are asking: from what level to what level? The naira rose to about N1,500 to the dollar, dropped to around N1,300, and the government celebrates that as an achievement. Ordinary Nigerians are yet to feel the impact of those improvements,” he said.
Abayomi added that the APM was presenting itself as a credible alternative for Nigerians and appealed to eligible voters to obtain their PVCs and support the party’s candidates in future elections.
