Former governor and Edo North senator, Adams Oshiomhole, has defended President Bola Tinubu amidst growing frustration over the nation’s economic woes, attributing the hardships to the policies of former President Muhammadu Buhari.
In a recent interview on Channels TV, Oshiomhole criticized what he termed as “reckless” policies designed by the previous administration, stating that they were responsible for dehumanizing Nigerians and exacerbating existing pain.
Asserting his loyalty to Nigeria above party affiliations, Oshiomhole accentuated his earlier denouncement of these policies and highlighted the long-term repercussions they continue to pose.
“At a point, even before the last president (Mr Buhari) left office, I lamented aloud and denounced aloud what I saw as reckless policies that were designed to dehumanise the population that was already in pain,” Mr Oshimhole said.
While acknowledging the frustrations of Nigerians, Oshiomhole urged against directing blame solely at the incumbent president, emphasizing that Tinubu, despite his political affiliation, cannot be held accountable for the previous government’s actions.
“I said I dissociated myself from those policies. I’m happy I wasn’t the only one. There were some governors who felt so strong and went to challenge the policies,” the lawmaker added.
He pointed out that Tinubu’s role within the government was not significant enough to warrant culpability for its policies, stressing that he was neither a minister nor an adviser in the administration.
Nigeria has been grappling with increased economic hardship, leading to protests in various parts of the country and a significant surge in food prices.
In response, Tinubu has directed efforts towards addressing food insecurity, aiming to make Nigeria a net exporter of food through aggressive mechanized agriculture.
