Economic Hardship Must Not Be Ignored In Defending Tinubu’s Reforms — Shettima

Vice President Kashim Shettima has urged supporters of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration to acknowledge the economic hardship faced by Nigerians while explaining and defending the government’s ongoing reforms.

Shettima said campaigners must rely on facts, transparency and measurable results rather than political slogans, stressing that the government must honestly communicate both the gains recorded and the difficulties that persist.

The Vice President spoke on Saturday in Abuja during the unveiling of the Arewa for Asiwaju (A4A) Campaign Head Office and the inauguration of the northern think tank’s campaign structure ahead of the 2027 presidential election.

According to a statement by his spokesman,Stanley Nkwocha, he said growing support for Tinubu’s re-election must not be taken for granted, adding that the administration and its supporters had a responsibility to demonstrate how its policies were improving security, livelihoods and economic opportunities.

“Our citizens have endured difficult adjustments. We cannot pretend otherwise. What we owe them is an honest account of the decisions taken, the gains achieved and the difficulties that persist. We lose our hearing when applause becomes our only source of information,” Shettima said.

He warned against dismissing the concerns of Nigerians struggling with rising costs and limited economic opportunities, noting that the experiences of traders, unemployed graduates and families grappling with daily expenses must inform government decisions.

“A failed policy enters somebody’s home as a missed meal, an unpaid school fee or an opportunity lost,” he stated.

Shettima maintained that the administration’s re-election bid should be anchored on its record and a clear explanation of how a second term would advance the interests of Nigerians.

“The mandate belongs to the people. We must account for its use and explain how another term would advance their interests,” he said.

The Vice President also described criticism as an essential component of democratic governance, urging the administration to remain open to constructive ideas regardless of political affiliation, ethnicity, religion or region.

“There is no democracy without critics. Progress demands that our assumptions endure the examination of those who disagree with us,” he added.

He charged the A4A campaign structure to function beyond election mobilisation by providing a channel through which concerns from communities could reach government officials capable of addressing them.

According to him, the organisation must ensure that citizens’ complaints receive attention and that people who raise concerns are assured that their voices are being heard.

Shettima identified security, economic opportunities, poverty reduction, education and stronger public institutions as key priorities of the administration.

He said farmers must be able to cultivate their land safely, while education should equip children with the skills needed for productive lives.

The Vice President further stressed that the responsibilities of public service would continue beyond election campaigns, noting that the pursuit of political support must not overshadow the government’s obligations to citizens.

“Even as elections impose a deadline upon persuasion, public service imposes no deadline upon our duty,” he said.

Earlier, Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin said the inauguration of the A4A structure came at a time when the North needed a trusted platform to mobilise support for Tinubu’s re-election.

He expressed confidence that the organisation would help communicate the administration’s achievements to Nigerians.

The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda, also called for support for the Tinubu-Shettima ticket, attributing the backing of northern leaders to what he described as the Vice President’s inclusive leadership, government projects and appointments of regional leaders to strategic positions.

Similarly, Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume, urged the North to base its political decisions on evidence rather than sentiment, citing the region’s role in Nigeria’s unity and development.

Kano State Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf, speaking on behalf of northern governors, said the region would support the Tinubu-Shettima ticket based on the administration’s record, as well as its commitment to fairness, equity, national unity and progress.

In his welcome address, former Jigawa State governor and A4A Director-General, Abubakar Mohammed Badaru, said the organisation was established out of the conviction that Tinubu and Shettima had performed well and deserved another term.

He pledged that the group would take its message of continuity and completion of the administration’s projects to communities across northern Nigeria and beyond.

The event was attended by members of the National Assembly, ministers, presidential aides, heads of government agencies, former governors and other prominent northern leaders.