Chief of Staff to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Femi Gbajabiamila, has acknowledged the economic hardship confronting Nigerians, admitting that the Federal Government’s economic reforms have placed considerable pressure on households across the country.
Gbajabiamila, however, defended the Tinubu administration’s policies, arguing that the President deliberately chose to confront longstanding economic challenges rather than pursue politically convenient decisions that could undermine Nigeria’s long-term economic prospects.
He spoke on Tuesday in Abuja at the unveiling of the administration’s 2027–2031 electoral roadmap, titled From Reforms to Prosperity Agenda. 
The Chief of Staff said the removal of petrol subsidy and unification of the foreign exchange market were necessary steps towards addressing structural weaknesses in the economy, although he acknowledged the immediate difficulties they had imposed on ordinary Nigerians.
“Now, those decisions have placed real pressure on households. We must speak honestly about that experience because the people living through it deserve to be heard. And nobody should have to pretend that life is easy at the moment,” he said.
Gbajabiamila distinguished between politicians primarily concerned about winning the next election and statesmen willing to take difficult decisions in the long-term interest of the country.
According to him, Tinubu could have maintained the existing economic arrangements to avoid public criticism but instead opted to confront the country’s economic distortions, despite the political consequences.
“If he came in as a politician and decided to govern as a politician, he would have continued on the cruise, on the path that we were taking.
“But instead, knowing full well the immediate consequences, he decided he would govern as a leader,” he said.
He maintained that the success of the reforms would ultimately be determined by their ability to improve the living conditions of Nigerians and translate economic restructuring into tangible prosperity.
Describing the administration’s 2027–2031 electoral roadmap as an ambitious document, the former Speaker of the House of Representatives said it reflected Tinubu’s political philosophy and commitment to sustainable national development.
He explained that the administration’s broader vision was to establish an economy where hard work guarantees a decent livelihood and every Nigerian has a fair opportunity to succeed.
“At the heart of this manifesto is my abiding conviction that every Nigerian should be able to share. Your country should give your best efforts a fair chance.
“A manifesto, in its strictest sense, is simply a contract between the people and the leader,” Gbajabiamila said.
He highlighted interventions in human capital development, social protection, taxation and electricity as evidence of the administration’s efforts to expand economic opportunities.
Among the initiatives he cited were the N-Power programme and the student loan scheme, which he said were designed to improve access to opportunities and reduce the financial burden on young Nigerians.
Gbajabiamila also defended the administration’s tax reforms, saying they were intended to promote fiscal fairness by reducing the tax burden on low-income earners and qualifying small businesses.
On electricity, he described the Electricity Act, which empowers states to establish and regulate their electricity markets, as a significant intervention capable of attracting investment, encouraging competition and improving access to power.
He further expressed the administration’s commitment to creating an environment where young Nigerians could pursue their ambitions without depending on political connections or patronage.
The presidential aide urged members and stakeholders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to actively defend the administration’s record and engage Nigerians directly on its policies and achievements.
He stressed that the ruling party must be prepared to account for its performance and convince voters through measurable results rather than political rhetoric.
“The party asking to continue in government must be prepared to answer the people whose mandate it seeks.
“We must earn support through the quality of work, through the quality of our case and the seriousness of our conduct,” he said.
Gbajabiamila said the 2027 general election would provide Nigerians with an opportunity to determine whether to sustain the administration’s reform agenda or return to what he described as short-term political approaches.
