Dele Alake says Tinubu risks re-election to fix Nigeria's damaged economy

The Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dele Alake, claimed on Wednesday in Abuja that President Bola Tinubu sacrificed his re-election campaign to overhaul the country's finances. As spokesperson for the All Progressives Congress Presidential Campaign Council for the 2027 election, Alake argued the administration faced a choice between political gain and economic rescue. He noted that prior governments understood the necessity of difficult reforms but often delayed them to avoid political backlash or public unrest regarding subsidy removals. Alake described Nigeria's economy as badly damaged by years of policy inconsistency across multiple administrations. He asserted there was no shortcut to fixing the distortions caused by this history. Although the changes have created short-term hardships, officials insist the measures are essential to prevent deeper economic decline.