Pro-Tinubu opinion piece in Vanguard argues for a second term
- A Vanguard opinion article by Patrick Obahiagbon argues President Bola Tinubu deserves a second term.
- He compares Tinubu's reforms to Franklin Roosevelt's New Deal and says short-term pain is necessary.
- The piece cites a stable naira rate and rising reserves, but gives no new government figures.
A guest column published by Vanguard on Sunday argues that President Bola Tinubu should be given a second term, comparing his economic reforms to the New Deal of former United States president Franklin Roosevelt.
The article was written by Patrick Obahiagbon, a former member of the House of Representatives and former leader of the Edo State House of Assembly. He is currently an executive director at the Niger Delta Power Holding Company (NDPHC).
Obahiagbon wrote that Tinubu's "Renewed Hope Agenda" is reshaping Nigeria's economy and that the country must accept short-term hardship in exchange for long-term recovery. He likened the pain of the reforms to a woman in labour, saying celebration comes when the baby is delivered.
What the article claims
The piece says the administration has kept up debt servicing, paid contractors regularly and attracted foreign investment. It puts Nigeria's external reserves at over $55bn, up from about $5bn when Tinubu took office in May 2023, and says the naira has held steady at about ₦1,300 to the dollar.
It also points to state governors who have left their parties for the All Progressives Congress (APC) or openly backed the president's re-election as a sign of support.
These are the writer's own assertions. The article does not cite official data or name the governors involved, and no independent source in the piece confirms the figures.
Why it matters
The column is an opinion piece, not a news report, and it does not announce any new decision by the president or his party. Nigerians will judge the claims against what they see at the pump, in the market and at the bank, where food prices and the cost of living remain the main concerns for many households.
Tinubu was sworn in on 29 May 2023. Under Nigeria's constitution, a second term would be decided at the next presidential election, run by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). The article does not say when that vote will be held or whether the president has declared his intention to run.
This report is based on the Vanguard column and does not independently verify the figures it cites.
