Tinubu addressing ‘bulk’ of Nigeria’s challenges – Omo-Agege

Immediate past deputy Senate president, Ovie Omo-Agege, has said the ‘bulk’ of Nigeria’s challenges is being addressed by President Bola Tinubu, urging Nigerians to continue to support him.

He expressed confidence in President Tinubu’s ability to turn around the current economic situation in Nigeria.

Addressing reporters in Effurun, Uvwie council area of Delta state, weekend, Omo-Agege who was the 2023 Delta All Progressives Congress (APC) gubernatorial candidate, appealed for patience, noting that many were aware that things would become worse before getting better.

He said: “My message to Nigerians is that they should continue to pray for the President. They should continue to support the President. He means well to our people.

“We knew from the outset that it was going to get worse before it got any better. But we are confident that the President has a management team in place that turns things around. And Nigerians only need to be more patient with the President and in no time, Nigerians will celebrate this administration

“President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has told us that he knows what to do. When he said that before he became President, people thought he was bluffing. But some of us were confident because of his track record as former Governor of Lagos State. And by May 29, he would have been in power for one year. The bulk of the challenges are being addressed. 

“For instance, look at the issue of the foreign exchange and the bastardization of the naira. Everybody thought that it had spiraled out of control and that there was no way it could be controlled. In fact, there was a serious threat when the thing was almost selling at N2,000 to a dollar.

“But today now, it has been reduced to basically a thousand naira to a dollar. And if they continue at this rate, before you know it, we might even do better than it was before they came on board which is about N750 to a dollar.

“From day one, before the President took office, we were very comfortable and certain of the economic team. While we did not know those who occupy other offices, everybody knew from day one, even before the President was elected, that Cardoso was going to be CBN Governor and that Edun would be the Finance Minister.

“And for those who followed the activities of Cardoso, when Tinubu was Governor of Lagos State, he was one guy that could tell Governor Tinubu at that time that ‘this is A’ and the Governor would not argue with him because he had so much confidence in him, and also in Edun. Do we call it the Lagos formula? And it is working. I believe that in no time, everything will fall into place.

“Of course, we still have challenges with power, but I am sure that will also be addressed”.

Describing the coastal road project, as a “major infrastructure” for the south-south, Omo-Agege remarked that President Tinubu, even though from the southwest “decided that this road is very very crucial for economic well-being and expansion of Nigerian economy. And he has embarked on it, not intimidated in any way by the cost. 

“Some others, right now, are questioning whether N4 billion should be used per kilometre but what they failed to understand is that this road construction is novel, we are not using asphalt, we are using cement.

“It is moulded for low or zero maintenance as it will be there in perpetuity, unlike asphalt that washes off after some years. So, the president is doing a great job and Nigerians are going to applaud him soonest.”