“Nobody Should Have To Pretend That Life Is Easy” — Gbajabiamila Admits Tinubu’s Economic Policies Have Placed Pressure On Nigerians

The Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, has acknowledged that the economic policies introduced by President Bola Tinubu since assuming office in 2023 have placed considerable pressure on Nigerian households, admitting that many citizens are experiencing hardship as a result of the reforms.

Gbajabiamila, a former Speaker of the House of Representatives, made the remarks in Abuja during the unveiling of President Tinubu’s re-election blueprint, where he defended the administration’s economic decisions while emphasising the need to translate the reforms into improvements in the living conditions of Nigerians.

According to him, Tinubu inherited economic challenges that required urgent attention, including the burden of fuel subsidy payments and distortions in the foreign exchange system.

He maintained that although the reforms had created difficulties for citizens, the administration considered them necessary to address longstanding structural problems and secure the country’s economic future.

“In 2023, President Bola Tinubu took responsibility for a country facing problems that could no longer be deferred. He confronted the subsidy burden and a distorted foreign exchange system. He chose to begin difficult repairs whose benefits would take time to reach everyone,” Gbajabiamila said.

Acknowledging the hardship arising from those decisions, the Chief of Staff insisted that the government must recognise the experiences of ordinary Nigerians rather than dismiss their concerns.

“Those decisions have now placed real pressure on households. We must speak honestly about that experience because the people living through it deserve to be heard. Nobody should have to pretend that life is easy at the moment.

“Our mission in government is to make these decisions less frightening for the millions of young people and families across the country,” he stated.

Gbajabiamila explained that the administration’s re-election manifesto was built around the principle that every Nigerian should have a fair opportunity to benefit from the country’s prosperity.

He described the manifesto as a binding commitment between political leaders and the citizens they govern, stressing that the administration intended to be held accountable for its promises.

“For the work we have done so far and our commitments for the years ahead, at the heart of this manifesto is my firm conviction that every Nigerian should be able to share in the country’s prosperity. Your country should give your best efforts a fair chance.

“A manifesto, in its strictest sense, is simply a contract between the people and their leaders. It is an inviolable contract, and we take the strict interpretation of what a manifesto represents as gospel under this administration,” he said.

The former Speaker observed that Nigerians were already making considerable sacrifices to provide for their families and secure better opportunities for their children.

He argued that government policies should ensure that hard work produces meaningful economic rewards and enables citizens to maintain a decent standard of living.

“Our people already work hard. They rise early, travel long distances and make sacrifices so that their children can go further than they did. A nation worthy of such efforts must make it possible for honest work to produce a decent life.

“That is what we mean by a Nigeria that works for everyone,” he added.

Gbajabiamila further explained that the government’s vision should be reflected in the ability of families to meet their basic needs, save for the future and access opportunities without depending on political connections or personal influence.

He stressed that public services should be available to every Nigerian, irrespective of political affiliation.

“It means parents can meet their families’ needs and still put something aside for tomorrow. It means a young person can look ahead with a reasonable expectation that ability and effort will open doors.

“It also means that belonging to Nigeria carries real value in your daily life.

“You should be able to access public services without begging for favours. A public hospital, for instance, should never need to know which political party you voted for before treating you. These are the expectations by which this manifesto asks to be judged,” he stated.

Despite acknowledging the difficulties associated with the administration’s economic policies, Gbajabiamila maintained that Tinubu made the right decision by confronting the challenges rather than postponing necessary reforms.

He argued that leaving the economic problems unresolved would have further weakened the government’s capacity to invest in national development.

“But we believe Nigeria can improve, and the President was right to act. Leaving those problems untouched would have continued to weaken our ability to invest in the future.

“Now, our responsibility is to ensure that the opportunities created by reforms translate into improvements that people can recognise in their own lives,” he said.

The Chief of Staff also drew a distinction between political leadership focused on winning elections and leadership concerned with the long-term interests of future generations.

According to him, Tinubu could have avoided difficult economic decisions to protect his immediate political interests but instead chose to pursue reforms despite their consequences.

“You see, the President had a choice. There are two types of people. He had a choice to govern as a politician or as a leader. There is an inherent difference between the two.

“If he had come in as a politician and decided to govern as one, he would have continued along the path we were taking. But instead, knowing full well the immediate consequences, he decided to govern as a leader.

“The difference between a politician and a leader is that while a politician thinks about the next election, a leader thinks about the next generation. And that is exactly what President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has demonstrated. We have already shown that government can widen the possibilities in a person’s life,” he declared.

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