…..Urges Nigerians to assess Tinubu’s reforms, infrastructure, economic record

Former Peoples Democratic Party governorship candidate in Ekiti State and Convener of the Oluyede Progressive Alliance for Renewed Hope Agenda (OPARHA), Dr. Oluwole Olumayokun Oluyede, has urged Nigerians to make the 2027 presidential election a referendum on continuity, performance and national development rather than sentiment.

Oluyede, in a statement on Sunday, said Nigerians should carefully assess the policies, reforms, infrastructure projects and economic measures of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration before deciding whether to renew his mandate.

He argued that Nigeria could not afford to repeatedly abandon long-term policies and projects whenever a new political cycle approached, stressing that major economic and infrastructure reforms required time to mature and deliver their full benefits.

According to him, the central question before Nigerians in 2027 should be whether the country is moving in the right direction and whether the foundation being laid by the present administration deserves consolidation.

“2027 should not be a referendum on sentiment. It should be a referendum on direction, performance and continuity.

“Nigerians should ask themselves whether they want to continue building on the foundation already laid or begin another cycle of starting all over again.”

Oluyede acknowledged that some of the economic reforms introduced by the Tinubu administration had imposed significant short-term pressures on Nigerians, but said the debate should also consider the reasons behind the reforms and their emerging macroeconomic effects.

The administration’s removal of the petrol subsidy and foreign-exchange reforms have been credited by government officials and international investors with improving public finances, strengthening foreign reserves and restoring investor confidence. However, the reforms have also contributed to severe cost-of-living pressures, making economic relief one of the central issues ahead of the election.

Oluyede said government must therefore ensure that the gains of reform increasingly translate into tangible improvements in the lives of ordinary Nigerians.

“I am not asking Nigerians to pretend that everything is perfect. It is not.

“People are hurting, families are facing economic pressure and government must respond with urgency.

“But we must distinguish between the difficulties associated with reform and the question of whether Nigeria should abandon the reform process altogether.”

He said the appropriate response should be to correct what needs correction, strengthen what is working and consolidate what has been achieved.

Oluyede said one of the clearest areas in which the Tinubu administration had demonstrated long-term ambition was infrastructure development.

He cited the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, Abuja-Kaduna-Kano Highway, Sokoto-Badagry Super Highway, East-West Road and other strategic federal highways as examples of projects capable of changing the country’s economic landscape.

President Tinubu has himself described infrastructure as the backbone of a modern economy, while the Federal Government has continued to prioritise roads and other transport infrastructure under the Renewed Hope Agenda.

Oluyede said the significance of the road projects went beyond construction.

“A road is not just a road. It is an economic corridor.

“It connects farmers to markets, manufacturers to consumers, workers to opportunities and communities to the wider national economy.

“If we reduce the time and cost of moving people and goods, we improve productivity and create the conditions for businesses to grow.”

He urged the Federal Government to complement the infrastructure drive with stronger maintenance systems, transparency in project execution and strict enforcement of construction standards.

The OPARHA convener said the next phase of the Tinubu administration should focus increasingly on converting macroeconomic reforms and infrastructure investments into measurable improvements in household welfare.

He identified job creation, food security, affordable healthcare, education, power supply, transportation and support for small and medium-sized businesses as areas that should receive sustained attention.

He said Nigeria needed an economy in which increased government revenue and improved investor confidence would ultimately translate into better public services and greater economic opportunities.

Recent government statements have highlighted continuing investment in roads, power, ports, railways, healthcare, education and agriculture, while the Presidency has argued that the reforms are positioning the economy for stronger growth.

Oluyede said these efforts should be measured not only by government statistics but also by the experience of ordinary Nigerians.

“The ultimate measure of any reform is the quality of life of the people.

“If government revenue improves but the ordinary Nigerian cannot feel the difference, then we must ask harder questions.

“The goal must be to move from economic stabilisation to broad-based prosperity.”

Oluyede said continuity was particularly important because infrastructure and economic reforms could not be fully evaluated within a short period.

He argued that abandoning major projects or reversing reforms could impose additional costs on the country.

“Nigeria cannot afford to keep starting all over again.

“We have spent decades discussing infrastructure deficits, economic restructuring and diversification. Now that significant steps are being taken in these areas, we should be asking how to improve them and make them work better for Nigerians.”

He said President Tinubu should be judged not only by the difficulties of the present but also by the direction in which the country was being taken.

According to him, the 2027 election should therefore provide an opportunity for Nigerians to compare records, programmes and possibilities rather than relying solely on political emotions.

Oluyede said President Tinubu deserved a second term to consolidate ongoing reforms and complete major projects already underway.

He stressed, however, that supporting continuity should not mean giving government a blank cheque.

“Continuity is not a blank cheque.

“It means giving a government the opportunity to complete what it has started, while holding it accountable for what it has promised.

“We must support what is working, correct what is not working and demand better results where Nigerians are still suffering.”

He said the 2027 election should ultimately be about the future of Nigeria rather than the political interests of individuals.

“This is bigger than President Tinubu. It is about Nigeria.

“The question is: what kind of country do we want to build, and what political direction gives us the best opportunity to build it?”

Oluyede urged Nigerians across political, ethnic and religious divides to examine the Tinubu administration’s record objectively before casting their votes in 2027.

He said the country needed stability, policy consistency and sustained investment to unlock the full benefits of its economic and infrastructure reforms.

“Let us disagree politically, but let us not disagree with development.

“Let us demand accountability, but let us also recognise progress where we see it.

“Let us correct the mistakes, address the hardship and strengthen the reforms.

“But let us not throw away the opportunity to build on the foundation that has already been laid.”

He therefore called on Nigerians to support President Tinubu for a second term, saying the next four years should be devoted to consolidation, completion and delivery of greater benefits to the Nigerian people.

“2027 should be a referendum on continuity, not sentiment.

“It should be a referendum on what we have achieved, what remains to be done and who has the capacity to take Nigeria from reform to prosperity.

“For me, the answer is clear: continue, consolidate, correct and complete.

“Nigeria deserves nothing less.”