Tinubu has not fulfilled all his 2023 promises, but the economy is looking better, Edo commissioner

Edo State Commissioner for Information, Kazeem Afegbua, said President Bola Tinubu may not have kept all the promises he made during the 2023 presidential campaign. But he believes the government has made important progress in the economy.

In an interview on ARISE News’ Morning Show on Sunday, Afegbua admitted that the government has faced some challenges while also defending its overall performance.

“Tinubu may have promised something in 2023 and not being able to fulfill them, but he has made a lot of remarkable improvement,” he said. He argued that the president has brought positive changes to the economy.

Afegbua pointed out the quick removal of the petrol subsidy as a major decision made early on. He mentioned that from the beginning, Tinubu “did not mince words” and decided to tackle the issues in the petroleum sector directly instead of delaying any reforms.

He stated, “So, our projection is six percent and we are hoping that every other thing being equal, since he has started the last three and a half years, looking at the micro-economic stability, we can predict the dollar as it were and that’s also helping investors both local and foreign plan for their own economic engagement.

In addition, Afegbua said, “We have put in place NELFUND to help indigent students through university education, we have devolved power to the local government level, and they enjoin allocation from the federation account.

He continued, “So, by the time we continue on this trajectory, the chances are that by the next four years we will have a better process of translating what we have at the micro level to the macro level and that will be for the benefit of Nigerians.”

The discussion happened amid talks about the APC’s manifesto and comparing the 2023 campaign promises with those being crafted for the 2027 elections.

Tinubu took office in May 2023 and quickly made significant economic changes, including removing the long-standing fuel subsidy and allowing the naira to float freely.

Some analysts credit these actions with improving the financial situation and attracting investments. But critics highlight the sharp increase in living costs and inflation that followed.