Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour, the Lagos Labour Party (LP) governorship candidate in the 2023 election, has slammed the Federal Government’s economic reforms, claiming they have only enriched a select few while leaving the majority of Nigerians in hardship.
President Bola Tinubu’s administration, since its inception in May 2023, has implemented significant reforms, including the removal of fuel subsidies and the floating of the naira.
While these measures were aimed at economic recovery, Rhodes-Vivour believes they have worsened the plight of ordinary citizens.
“The people are experiencing unprecedented hardship. Today, over 70 per cent of people’s income is spent on transportation and food. They’ve not even started to think about how they can afford accommodation,” he said on Thursday.
He further criticized the government’s lack of empathy for the struggles of its citizens.
“We have a situation where there is a culture of wastefulness, and extravagance that does not reflect the dire economic situation that the same President is pushing out that needs to be reformed,” he stated.
Rhodes-Vivour questioned the inclusivity of the reforms, saying, “The only people that seem to be benefitting from these reforms are maybe the bankers, the people in government, and the President’s friends. How many Nigerians can say they are benefitting from any reform right now?”
