Hardship Not Exclusive To North, Tinubu Deserves Credit For Reforms – Ex-ACF Spokesman

A former national publicity secretary of the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF), Anthony Sani, has defended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s economic reforms.

He asserted that the hardship arising from the high cost of living is not peculiar to Northern Nigeria and should not be interpreted as evidence of growing regional rejection of the President.

In a statement issued to journalists yesterday in Abuja, Sani maintained that although the economic reforms had imposed significant hardship on Nigerians, difficult but necessary policy decisions were required to move the country away from decades of dependence on oil revenues and consumption-driven economic practices.

The former ACF spokesman questioned why the economic hardship was increasingly portrayed as affecting only one part of the country.

“When some people say there is growing rejection of President Bola Tinubu in the North because of high cost of living, it makes me wonder if the hardship from high cost of living is an exclusive preserve of the North,” he said.

He aligned himself with the position attributed to the Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi II, on the need for fundamental economic restructuring, arguing that Nigeria could not overcome its economic difficulties without addressing the consequences of decades of dependence on oil wealth.

Sani said the country’s economic challenges were rooted in years of consuming oil revenues without developing sufficient productive capacity.

He argued that moving Nigeria out of what he described as four decades of economic stagnation would require difficult decisions that might not provide immediate relief to citizens.

“I agree with Emir Sanusi that to take Nigeria out of the economic doldrums that span about four decades, when Nigerians did not produce but consumed oil wealth that is not the result of hard work, is very necessary, and cannot be painless,” he stated.

The former ACF spokesman argued that Nigerians should acknowledge what he described as Tinubu’s patriotic courage in undertaking economic reforms, particularly in the absence of what he considered a superior and viable alternative from opposition political parties.

According to him, criticism of government policies should be accompanied by practical proposals capable of addressing the country’s economic challenges.

He maintained that until a more convincing alternative economic programme emerged, Nigerians should give the President credit for taking what he described as difficult but necessary decisions.

“And as long as nobody or group has been able to proffer a superior viable alternative course of action to what President Bola Tinubu is doing, Nigerians are expected to understand and credit the president for patriotic courage,” he said.

Sani also referenced an assessment attributed to The Economist magazine, which he said suggested that despite Tinubu’s unpopularity over the high cost of living, prevailing political circumstances could still influence his re-election prospects.

On the political implications of the economic situation, Sani argued that zoning arrangements, regional voting patterns and incumbency could significantly influence the outcome of the 2027 presidential election.

He suggested that political calculations in the South could favour Tinubu, arguing that southern voters might divide their support between the President and Peter Obi, while zoning considerations could limit the electoral appeal of former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar in the region.

He also argued that the President could benefit from incumbency in the South, particularly given the ruling party’s political influence.

In the North, Sani predicted that votes could be divided among Tinubu, Atiku and Obi, creating an electoral contest involving the three major presidential contenders.

He further argued that Obi could face political challenges in parts of the North over what he described as his perceived failure to condemn separatist activities.

Based on these considerations, Sani maintained that Tinubu could secure another presidential term despite the economic difficulties confronting Nigerians.

“One therefore needs not be a psephologist to know that though President Bola Tinubu may not be popular, he would still be reelected because no one has provided a superior alternative course of action to what the president is doing,” he argued.

He criticised opposition politicians for what he described as an overreliance on complaints about the government’s performance without presenting sufficiently convincing policy alternatives.

“All the opposition does is lamentations which anybody can do,” he said.

In a further argument, the former ACF spokesman raised concerns about the implications of political zoning arrangements for the 2031 presidential election.

He argued that Tinubu’s opportunity to remain in office would be constitutionally limited to 2031, when he expects the presidency to return to the North under the country’s political zoning arrangement.

Sani, however, drew a distinction between Tinubu and Peter Obi, arguing that Obi could potentially seek another term despite his reported commitment to serving only one term in the interest of zoning.

“It is only President Bola Tinubu who cannot govern beyond 2031 when the presidency is expected to move to the North. This is not the same with Peter Obi, who may renege on his pledge to do only one tenure in the interest of zoning,” he added.

Sani’s comments come amid continuing debate over the economic consequences of Tinubu’s reforms, the political implications of the cost-of-living crisis and the influence of regional considerations on the 2027 presidential contest.