Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dele Alake, has said President Bola Tinubu was willing to risk his political future by implementing difficult economic reforms aimed at rebuilding what he described as a badly damaged Nigerian economy.
Alake, who also serves as spokesperson for the All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Campaign Council for the 2027 election, made the remarks on Wednesday in Abuja during an interactive session with journalists.
According to the minister, previous administrations were aware of the reforms required to address the country’s economic challenges but were reluctant to implement them because of the potential political consequences.
He said Tinubu inherited an economy that required fundamental restructuring when he assumed office, leaving the administration with limited options for addressing the challenges.
“Somebody came and decided to swallow the bitter pill, to take the bullets on behalf of Nigerians. You must go through the pain, and then the gains will start to manifest,” Alake said.
The minister acknowledged that the reforms had created significant short-term difficulties for Nigerians but argued that they were necessary to prevent the economy from deteriorating further.
He rejected calls for the government to reverse its economic policies, stressing that consistency was necessary for the reforms to deliver their intended benefits.
Alake particularly defended the removal of fuel subsidy, arguing that the previous subsidy regime disproportionately benefited fuel cartels and wealthy individuals rather than ordinary Nigerians.
He maintained that reversing the reforms could undermine efforts to stabilise the economy and potentially return the country to the challenges the government was seeking to address.
The minister’s comments come as economic reforms, including fuel subsidy removal and other policy changes, remain major issues in public debate ahead of the 2027 presidential election.
The reforms have been accompanied by increased concerns over the cost of living, fuel prices and household purchasing power, making economic policy a key issue likely to shape political discussions ahead of the polls.
Alake also urged the media to pay greater attention to the APC’s manifesto and policy proposals ahead of the election rather than focusing excessively on the internal structure of the party’s campaign council.
His comments effectively framed the Tinubu administration’s economic programme as a long-term intervention whose political costs, he argued, were deliberately accepted in pursuit of broader economic recovery.
