Former Acting National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Hilliard Etta, has defended the performance of President Bola Tinubu, arguing that the administration has recorded progress in security, infrastructure development and economic management despite ongoing economic challenges facing Nigerians.
Speaking during an interview on ARISE News on Sunday, Etta maintained that assessments of the Tinubu administration should be based on available data rather than public perception.
According to him, fewer Nigerians have died from insecurity-related incidents under the current administration than under previous governments.
“Far less people have died under Asiwaju Bola Tinubu than any government from the time. It’s on the newspapers. It’s on the terrorism index,” he said.
Etta also rejected claims that insecurity has worsened under Tinubu, insisting that security forces have recorded significant successes against criminal and terrorist groups.
“Do not do that to our military personnel. The people that have been neutralised by our military personnel are over and above the people that have been neutralised by our military personnel,” he stated.
On infrastructure, the former APC chairman described the level of ongoing development across the country as unprecedented, claiming that the administration is currently executing about 2,700 kilometres of reinforced concrete road projects nationwide.
“The level of infrastructural development in this country in the past two years is unprecedented. As we speak, there are 2,700 kilometres of road, concrete reinforced roads going on in Nigeria today. No government outside of the government of Tinubu has been able to do this,” he said.
Etta further pointed to what he described as positive economic indicators, including foreign reserve growth, stock market performance and economic expansion.
“Now, Nigeria is one of the fastest-growing economies in the world today, with about 4.3 per cent growth. We have pushed our reserves to nearly $50 billion,” he said.
He added that the Nigerian stock market had witnessed remarkable growth since 2023, noting that the All-Share Index had risen significantly while market capitalisation expanded substantially.
According to him, these indicators suggest that the country is moving in the right direction economically.
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However, Etta acknowledged that many Nigerians are yet to experience the benefits of the reforms in their daily lives.
“I will agree that it has not trickled down to the dining tables of the average Nigerian family,” he said.
He explained that economic reforms often require time before their impact is felt at the grassroots level, expressing confidence that improvements would eventually reflect in poverty reduction, healthcare, education and other sectors.
Addressing suggestions that he was defending the administration because of personal benefits, Etta dismissed the allegation, stating that he had gained nothing from the government despite being appointed APC chairman over a year ago.
“Nobody can accuse me of defending the government because it has benefited me personally,” he said.
Despite supporting the administration, Etta disagreed with President Tinubu on certain economic policies, particularly on market pricing.
He argued that government should intervene to prevent excessive price increases on consumer goods.
“I do not believe that the market should be allowed to set prices up for consumer goods in Nigeria,” he said.
The APC chieftain also called for stronger policies to encourage local production and reduce dependence on imported goods.
“I don’t think that Nigeria should be a dumping ground for any Chinese economy, for any European economy, or any American economy,” he said, urging greater support for domestic manufacturing.
Etta concluded by urging Nigerians to remain patient with the administration, insisting that the reforms being implemented are necessary and would ultimately yield long-term benefits for the country.