Vice-President Kashim Shettima has defended President Bola Tinubu’s economic reforms, saying the administration took difficult decisions that saved Nigeria from economic collapse.
Shettima spoke in Lagos on Saturday after meeting with Tinubu, who recently returned to the country from his annual vacation.
The Vice-President said he remained in regular contact with the President throughout his time abroad, despite the distance.
“We are quite thrilled that he’s back on the beat. Advances in science and technology have made it possible to really have impactful leadership wherever one might find himself,” Shettima said.
He said Tinubu inherited an economy that was already “teetering on the verge of collapse”, citing the removal of the petrol subsidy and the unification of multiple exchange rates as some of the difficult measures taken by the administration.
“It is absolutely essential that Nigerians need to be generous to this poor man,” Shettima said.
According to him, Nigeria’s foreign reserves stood at only $3.9 billion when the administration assumed office, which he said was insufficient to finance fuel imports for one month.
Shettima said Tinubu nevertheless had the courage to implement measures he described as necessary to avert a deeper economic crisis.
“He had the courage and the conviction to take power-reaching decisions,” he said.
“He saved the economy. I want Nigerians to understand this fundamental truism. We were on the road to Caracas; he saved our economy; he saved the nation from falling into pieces.”
The Vice-President acknowledged the economic hardship being experienced by Nigerians but expressed optimism that the difficult period would not last indefinitely.
“We appreciate the pains Nigerians are going through, but tough times do not last forever; tough people do,” he said.
Shettima also highlighted government interventions intended to cushion the effects of the economic crisis, including the planned deployment of 10,600 electric tricycles in the North-East and the rollout of e-logistics services in the North-West.
He added that 300 buses and electric taxis would also be deployed to “ameliorate the sufferings” of Nigerians.
The Vice-President further described the Nigerian Education Loan Fund as a major intervention for students from low-income families.
Shettima said Tinubu remained concerned about the welfare of ordinary Nigerians and had “a lot of empathy for the common man”.
He added that the Federal Government would continue implementing programmes aimed at reducing the economic pressure on citizens.
On preparations for the 2027 political activities, Shettima said the administration would continue to discharge its governance responsibilities while participating in politics.
“Politics is in the air, but we’ll combine politics and governance,” he added.
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