… says President Took Difficult Decisions to Prevent Economic Collapse
Vice-President Kashim Shettima has urged Nigerians to be “generous” towards President Bola Tinubu, saying the administration inherited a severely pressured economy in 2023.
Shettima spoke in Lagos after meeting with Tinubu, who recently returned to Nigeria following his annual vacation.
The Vice-President said Tinubu remained actively engaged in governance while abroad, adding that advances in technology had made it possible for leaders to provide effective leadership from different locations.
Shettima urged Nigerians to consider the economic conditions the administration inherited when assessing its performance, citing foreign reserves of about $3.9 billion at the time.
He said the situation prompted difficult decisions, including the removal of petrol subsidy and the unification of multiple exchange rates.
“It is absolutely essential that Nigerians need to be generous to this poor man,” Shettima said, referring to Tinubu.
He described the reforms as necessary to prevent a deeper economic crisis, saying, “The economy was teetering on the verge of collapse.”
“He saved the economy. I want Nigerians to understand this fundamental truism. We were on the road to Caracas; he saved our economy; he saved the nation from falling into pieces,” he added.
Shettima acknowledged the hardship Nigerians are experiencing amid the reforms and cost-of-living pressures, but appealed for patience, saying the difficulties would not last forever.