Former Acting National Chairman of the APC, Hilliard Etta, has defended President Bola Tinubu’s handling of security and the economy, saying fewer people have died from insecurity under the current administration than under past governments.
Speaking on ARISE NEWS on Sunday, Etta dismissed claims that insecurity has worsened since Tinubu took office in May 2023. He said the government’s performance should be judged using statistics and data, not public opinion.
“Far less people have died under Asiwaju Bola Tinubu than any government from the time. It’s on the newspapers. It’s on the newspapers. It’s on the terrorism index,” Etta said.
He also rejected claims that terrorist attacks and violent crimes have outweighed gains made by security forces, urging critics to recognise the efforts of the military.
“Don’t say that, please. You stand down here and teach the military personnel well. Do not do that to our military personnel. The people that have been neutralised by our military personnel are over and above the people that have been neutralised by our military personnel,” he said.
On infrastructure, Etta described ongoing road projects across the country as unmatched in recent times, saying the Tinubu administration has invested heavily in critical development.
“The only time we have had the level of infrastructural investment that we have in Nigeria is during the war time,” he said.
“The level of infrastructural development in this country in the past two years is unprecedented. As we speak, there are 2,700 kilometres of road, concrete reinforced roads going on in Nigeria today. No government outside of the government of Tinubu has been able to do this.”
Etta also said economic indicators show improvement despite concerns over inflation and the cost of living.
“Now, Nigeria is one of the fastest-growing economies in the world today, with about 4.3%. We have pushed our reserves to nearly 50 billion US dollars,” he stated.
His comments come as debate continues over the impact of the Tinubu administration’s reforms, security policies and infrastructure projects.
