HURIWA To Oyedele: Stop Campaigning For Tinubu, Tackle Economic Hardship

The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) has criticised the Minister of State for Finance, Taiwo Oyedele, over his comments on President Bola Tinubu’s re-election prospects, urging him to focus on addressing the economic hardship facing Nigerians.

The association accused Oyedele of prioritising political projections about Tinubu’s chances in the 2027 presidential election over the urgent need to tackle rising living costs, high petrol prices, poverty and declining purchasing power.

In a statement issued on Sunday by its National Coordinator, Comrade Emmanuel Nnadozie Onwubiko, HURIWA said the minister should concentrate on his economic responsibilities rather than act as a political promoter for the President.

The association faulted Oyedele’s suggestion that international investors and financial markets were already anticipating Tinubu’s second term, insisting that Nigerians, rather than foreign investors or global financial institutions, would determine the country’s political future.

HURIWA also questioned the appropriateness of a senior economic official using an international economic gathering to discuss the President’s re-election prospects when millions of Nigerians were struggling to afford basic necessities.

It challenged the Federal Government to explain how it intended to reduce the cost of food, transportation, electricity and other essential services, create jobs and improve workers’ purchasing power.

The association further raised concerns about the country’s borrowing, arguing that increased revenue collections by government agencies should prompt questions about expenditure priorities, fiscal discipline and the continued reliance on loans.

Citing an article published by The Guardian on May 25, 2026, in which economic commentator Dele Oye raised concerns about Nigeria’s public debt, 

HURIWA called for greater transparency in the government’s borrowing decisions.

It demanded explanations on the projects financed through loans and the measurable benefits they had delivered to Nigerians.

The association warned that borrowing without visible improvements in citizens’ welfare could impose an unfair financial burden on future generations.

On petrol subsidy removal, HURIWA rejected the argument that subsidies were inherently incompatible with economic development, noting that governments in advanced economies used public support programmes to protect vulnerable households and cushion the effects of economic shocks.

It argued that corruption, waste, inadequate oversight and poor implementation, rather than the principle of providing relief to citizens, were the major concerns surrounding government interventions.

HURIWA maintained that removing petrol subsidies without adequate protection for low-income households had worsened economic hardship, adding that the government could not rely solely on market forces while ignoring the consequences for ordinary Nigerians.

The association also cited comments by Professor Pat Utomi, published by TheCable on October 16, 2026, in which he criticised the government’s handling of petrol prices and wages

.

Utomi questioned the President’s response to the suffering of citizens, asking: “But does the President care? How does he even sleep at night, knowing that millions of Nigerians are struggling to survive in a country blessed with abundant natural resources?”

HURIWA said the question reflected the frustration of citizens who believed that Nigeria’s abundant natural resources should translate into improved living conditions.

It argued that economic reforms could lose public support when citizens were repeatedly asked to make sacrifices without corresponding improvements in their welfare.

The association called on the Federal Government to prioritise reducing the cost of living, expanding employment opportunities, tackling corruption and ensuring that public revenue translated into tangible benefits for citizens.

It also urged the administration to adopt transparent fiscal management and consider targeted relief measures for vulnerable Nigerians while preventing corruption and waste.

HURIWA insisted that the success of economic reforms should be measured by improvements in citizens’ living conditions rather than international investors’ assessment of the President’s re-election prospects.

The association maintained that the electorate would ultimately determine Nigeria’s political future based on its assessment of the government’s performance.