By Fatima Saka
The Senator representing Ondo Central Senatorial District and Chairman of the Senate Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters, Senator Adeniyi Adegbonmire (SAN), has declared that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s tough economic decisions, especially the removal of fuel subsidy are necessary measures to rescue Nigeria from impending economic collapse.
Adegbonmire argued that Nigerians must understand the long-term benefits of the ongoing reforms, even as they endure present hardships.
In an extensive and candid interaction with journalists on Tuesday in Abuja, Adegbonmire a Senior Advocate of Nigeria said the Tinubu administration inherited a country ravaged by decades of financial irresponsibility, mismanagement, and unsustainable subsidy regimes.
He warned that without bold and painful decisions, Nigeria would have plunged into a Zimbabwe-like economic collapse.
“You, me, all of us are part of the problem,” he said, directing sharp criticism at the media. “We were spending money we didn’t have. And when the government tried to take tough decisions, you people shouted: ‘bad government, people are suffering.’ So they borrowed it to keep you quiet.”
The Senator, who likened the nation’s economic predicament to a man who loses his high-paying job after expanding his family and lifestyle, emphasized that Tinubu’s removal of the petrol subsidy was inevitable.
“There’s nothing free about subsidies,” Adegbonmire said. “That money belongs to all of us. You say it’s cheaper fuel, but that N500 difference could have gone into hospitals and roads.”
He faulted past leaders, including Presidents Obasanjo, Jonathan, and Buhari, for perpetuating unsustainable economic models, and slammed critics who expect Tinubu to reverse decades of damage in under two years.
“Nobody can fix Nigeria in two years,” he stated. “But is President Tinubu taking the right steps? Absolutely.”
Citing Nigeria’s rising international credit ratings and reforms like the student loan initiative, Adegbonmire praised Tinubu for prioritizing long-term national development over short-term popularity.
“The man could have played politics and left subsidies. But he chose to save the country. That’s leadership,” he said.
He challenged opposition voices, including Atiku Abubakar and Peter Obi to say whether they would have done anything differently, reminding Nigerians that both men campaigned on removing fuel subsidies.
“Now they’re complaining? They would have done the same thing,” he argued.
When asked about the suffering of ordinary Nigerians, Adegbonmire acknowledged the pain but insisted it was transitional and necessary.
“It’s like when you demolish an illegal building. People lose shelter, but rebuilding must begin. That’s where we are.”
On the question of whether the President’s appointees are matching his pace and vision, the senator declined generalizations and called for specific examples before commenting.
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“If you have someone in mind who is underperforming, name them,” he said.
Adegbonmire’s spirited defense comes amid growing public criticism over rising poverty and inflation, nearly two years into Tinubu’s presidency. Still, the senator said the hardship is real, but so is the path to recovery.
“The future is now,” he said. “Let’s not deceive ourselves. President Tinubu has done exceedingly well. And history will remember him for it.”
