By joshua Edo APC Chairman Defends Tinubu’s Reforms, Says Policies Yielding Results
By Ikhili Ebalu, Benin city
The Edo State Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Jarrett Tenebe, has defended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s economic reforms, insisting that Nigerians are beginning to experience their benefits despite the challenges associated with implementing them.
Tenebe, who spoke during an interview on TVC News, expressed confidence in the President’s leadership, arguing that his administration was making progress in critical sectors, including the economy, security, agriculture, infrastructure and empowerment.
According to him, the massive crowd that attended the APC presidential campaign rally in Kaduna State was evidence of growing public support for Tinubu and his administration.
“The crowd was actually massive, and I think the opposition parties were taken by storm. What you are seeing here is organic. It was not something that paid the crowd,” he said.
He attributed the turnout to Nigerians’ appreciation of the President’s policies and leadership, adding that the sight of supporters displaying their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) during the rally demonstrated their readiness to participate in the electoral process.
Tenebe maintained that the President had performed well enough to earn another term, expressing confidence in his party’s electoral prospects.
Tinubu’s Reforms Taking Effect
Addressing concerns about the impact of the President’s economic reforms, the Edo APC chairman argued that the measures required time to produce their full benefits, particularly given the economic challenges inherited by the administration.
He said the reforms were already yielding results, citing what he described as improvements in economic activities and the experiences of traders and other business operators.
“When you want to do reforms, it is not easy, especially when you have an economy that is crumbled before he got there. So reforms take time to manifest,” Tenebe said.
He added that the administration’s economic policies were beginning to reposition the country, arguing that the experiences of ordinary Nigerians and business owners should be considered when assessing the reforms.
Tenebe also criticised the proposal to restore fuel subsidy, which he attributed to former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, questioning how the government would finance such a move while sustaining the economy.
“For somebody to come and say, after the President has worked, he’s working on reform and he has removed subsidy, and we are seeing the gains that we have had since he came in there, and somebody just come and say he wants to take 360 degrees. It doesn’t work, and it sounds desperate,” he said.
He argued that reversing the subsidy policy could create uncertainty for local and international businesses, maintaining that the country should continue along the economic path established by the Tinubu administration.
Security, Agriculture, Infrastructure Key to Election
The APC chairman identified security, infrastructure, agriculture, healthcare and economic empowerment as some of the major issues expected to shape the election.
He argued that the Tinubu administration had made progress in these areas, particularly in its efforts to address insecurity and restore confidence among farmers.
According to him, reports of farmers returning to their farmlands indicate that efforts to improve security are beginning to yield results.
“When you talk of security, you can see farmers are saying they are going back to the farm. It showed that, yes, security is being tackled,” he said.
Tenebe also urged Nigerians to assess presidential candidates based on their records in public office rather than campaign rhetoric.
He pointed to Tinubu’s tenure as governor of Lagos State, arguing that the development of the state reflected his experience in governance.
He also challenged Nigerians to examine the records of other presidential contenders, including Atiku Abubakar and Peter Obi, in determining their suitability for the presidency.
According to him, the issues that matter most to voters are areas in which he believes Tinubu has demonstrated the capacity to deliver.
APC Advocates Issue-Based Campaigns
Tenebe said the APC had been mobilising its support base across Edo State ahead of the election, adding that the party was advocating campaigns focused on policies and development rather than personal attacks.
He said the party had recently concluded a tour of the state as part of efforts to strengthen its grassroots structures and communicate its message to voters.
“We’ve been doing a tour around the entire state, which we just completed to wire up our base. We were preaching that we want campaigns of issue. We don’t want campaigns of insults,” he said.
He urged political parties and their candidates to concentrate on explaining their plans for addressing Nigeria’s challenges instead of engaging in verbal attacks against opponents.
“What you think you can do for the country, what you think you can do better than this President right now,” he said, outlining the kind of debate he believed should dominate the campaign.
The Edo APC chairman reiterated his support for Tinubu’s re-election bid, maintaining that the President’s experience, economic policies and record in public office made him a strong contender among the presidential candidates.
He called on voters to evaluate the candidates based on their antecedents and proposed solutions to the country’s challenges.