The Democratic Front (TDF) has rejected claims by the Chairman of the People’s Redemption Party (PRP), Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is out of touch with the hardship faced by Nigerians.
In a statement signed by its Chairman, Mallam Danjuma Muhammad, and Secretary, Chief Wale Adedayo, the group faulted Baba-Ahmed’s remarks made during a television interview, describing them as inaccurate.
TDF said it expected the former Permanent Secretary and ex Special Adviser to the President on Political Matters to apply his experience more objectively rather than make what it called political assertions.
The group argued that many of the economic challenges highlighted by Baba-Ahmed predated the Tinubu administration, noting that issues such as subsidy and multiple exchange rate regimes had long affected the economy.
The statement maintained that assessing the impact of ongoing reforms requires a balanced analysis of both past and present economic conditions.
TDF also stated that Nigeria’s macroeconomic outlook has shown improvement, while attributing recent increases in petrol prices partly to external factors, including the ongoing conflict in the Gulf region.
The group insisted that President Tinubu remains responsive to the concerns of Nigerians, citing what it described as a reduction in inflation, declining food prices, and ongoing social intervention programmes, including support for students through NELFUND.
TDF further referenced improvements in the manufacturing sector, pointing to a rise in the Purchasing Managers Index (PMI) as an indicator of industrial growth and job creation in the non oil sector.
According to TDF, reforms in the oil sector, including local refining, alongside the removal of fuel subsidy and tax measures, have boosted government revenues and increased allocations to states through the Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC).
The group, however, stressed that addressing economic hardship is a shared responsibility, urging state and local governments to effectively utilise increased allocations to improve the welfare of citizens.
TDF added that greater accountability at the sub national level is essential to complement federal efforts in tackling economic challenges across the country.
