Tinubu’s Administration Is The First Without Major Protests Or School Shutdowns - Abiru

Added: 2026-05-24

[00:00:05]The All Progressives Congress Saturday held its nationwide presidential primary election across 8,89 words. The party used the direct primary mode, allowing all registered members to vote. Incumbent President Ba Tinubu and businessman Stanley Usifo were the two contestants. Tinubu recorded a landslide victory in his Lagos w capturing 4,996 votes. A significant turnout was also tracked in Kebi Edu and states among others. The party says the official coalition of nationwide results will begin Sunday at 10:00 a.m. in Abuja.

[00:00:47]President Tinubu is actively seeking a second term in the 2027 elections. His bid has already drawn endorsements from APC governors and state lawmakers, but critics point to severe economic hardships caused by his reforms, including record high inflation and naira depreciation. Security analysts also note ongoing kidnappings and massacres across the country. But the administration defends its policies as necessary to prevent fiscal collapse as officials point to stabilizing exchange rates and increase foreign investment as signs that the economy is turning a corner. For a review of Saturday's APC presidential primary election and the preparedness of President Chinubu for a second term in office, Senator representing Lagos 8 East Senatorial District, Adit Kumbbo Airu joins us now.

[00:01:43]Good morning, distinguished Senator Tokumu. Good to have you join us on the morning show this beautiful Sunday.

[00:01:53]>> Good morning, Steve, and good morning, viewers. It's a great great pleasure being here this morning.

[00:01:58]>> Thank you.

[00:01:58]>> Thank you.

[00:01:59]>> Thank you very much. All right, let's talk about your party and the primary elections uh that have held so far. Uh it concluded as you know yesterday uh with the presidential uh election primaries where uh the president ran >> primaries. Yes.

[00:02:16]>> Yes. Primaries where the president Ashu Jiola metu ran against an unknown figure uh a businessman we are told Stanley uh uh and I know that you were in Lagos.

[00:02:28]You are in uh Crou your base. You know Lagos is where you are the serving senator correct >> to also oversee things. And it turned out that um you know there's a bit of celebration uh everywhere for the president. My question to you uh distinguished senator is first uh what is your assessment of all the primary elections so far? Uh you got yours shall we say on a platter of gold because nobody ran against you you know to return to to to the Senate but then an unknown NCC is running against the president. Who is this fellow? Some of your party members do not even know him at all. So the question will be was that necessary or was it a show of popularity and a show of strength for the president who we know would have pre preferred a consensus arrangement you know for him to have um shown that he's popular and that he has the capacity to lead or was APC trying to communicate a message to Nigerians that APC as a leading party knows how to deal with internal politics. What are your thoughts on what happened yesterday, distinguished senator?

[00:03:37]>> Thank you very much, Steve. Um, let me start by saying that um one um I would I would like to thank my own constituents number one for also um um coming together to endorse me for a second term. So I thank the constituents that is a show of confidence in me and equally of course I must thank the APC platform that has also provided that platform for somebody like me to also be of service to the constituents of um Lagos senatorial district and I think that so far from all accounts across the country the um the exercise has been very very transparent and it is a is a confirmation that our our democracy is actually getting better. The internal democracy within the AC APC2 uh is getting stronger and I also commend the leadership of APC at the federal I mean at the um federal level for also organizing us in such a manner that gives further credence to to democracy and to the people. And having said that, I must also say that um the unidentified or unknown person that has also tried to also um run um against the president, I think he's should it should remain better unknown. You understand? And because if you look at the if you look across the country, starting from the word of the president and to the entire worlds across the country, you can see an overwhelming support for the president. So I think the um the the the challenger should just remain unknown and I'm sure that what he has also done is to also try to add his voice to the democrat democratic setting that is also imagined in the APC. So overall I think that it's been a transparent system and um and is the internal democracy that we are building within the APC structure is equally very getting improved and of course we continue to ride on it and of course I look forward to the celebration with the president today.

[00:05:38]>> Thank you Senator Abiru. We're speaking about the APC primary specifically. Some of them have been murdered in controversy in Lagos state here where you're a senatorial um you're the senator for Lagos East. However, the representatives for the House of Reps for Lagos, the list has yet to be uh published or or or put forward in terms of the nominees from the APC. We also saw some noise in Delta State and Edo State in terms of direct primaries and or consensus, the removal of indirect primaries done by the electoral acts. Do you believe that ultimately that that was a good thing?

[00:06:17]>> Well, let me put it this way. You can't find um a perfect um system of setting you know but on the balance of score if we have done over 95% um um um perfection I think all corre I mean yeah perfection if I may put it that or 90%. I think is a very show I mean a show of um um good confidence in the process that is evolving. So you can't find a perfect system. So um yes there will be um contentious issues um in some locations and I think that that's the beauty of democracy because it bring about it brings about you know um um competitiveness if I may put it that way and of course intellectual engagement. So for those areas I'm sure um the electoral act too has also given us that latitude to manage ourselves within the party structure. So it's is an internal party affair. I'm sure all of that will be resolved before we move to I mean towards the commencement of the um campaigns. So it's by for me I think is a is a fair showing for the for the party.

[00:07:21]>> Yeah. Yeah. But but how do you think that the party will deal uh with um humongous complaints that are already you know are coming up particularly in many states uh where things were tough uh in river states in O state uh we have seen that at least about three ministers you know that resigned midway uh to contest you know all lost out in Baoi uh Bay Labu in Oyo state you know and and one other state yes and one of that gentleman. Do you think that if the president had um in I don't want to say insisted but if he had shown his preference for consensus uh that many of the skirmishes that were recorded in many places even in Lagos Kush you know local government area for example and many of the infighting uh that has now engulfed some of these states uh within the APC that you know they would have been avoided you know in Delta for example you know in many other places that they would have been avoided if the president has shown his preference for consensus and not necessarily these uh tumultous and very expensive in a way uh indirect primaries. Do you think that on a second thought it would have been better to address this uh democratically but at the same time within the family rather than uh push everybody out and then it has resulted in many people feeling dissatisfied?

[00:08:50]Well, for me it still remains an internal family affair, you know, and I can assure you the APC being a very progressive party, we have internal mechanisms that will address all of these issues there. I mean there are various layers of appeal panels where people can actually um lodge their issues and of course internally I mean that and that internal um control mechanisms will also find a a possible solution to appease everyone. So um I don't think we should shy away from the exercise we have gone through. It can only show us the way to improve as we move along. So as it is today, I mean um look, it's like somebody trying to say that he's looking for a 100% perfect um state of affairs, it's not going it's not going to happen. But as we get some of these ecops, it also helps us in improving and also um rising up to the challenges. And I'm so I believe very strongly that the internal mechanism within the party structure, the appeal committees and all of that that we have will address all of these um um what I would call very I mean um isolated cases. I mean if you look at it on the balance of score. So yeah, I mean um the governorship um um contest are major contest but again they still remain somehow isolated because I mean if you look at it visa v the total number of governorship um contest that we had out of almost about 36 across the country and you have issues in um one or two I mean yeah I mean that's the beauty of improvement can only get I mean make us better and also cited the issue around kosher out of almost um 360 um contesting um aspirants I mean across the length and breadth of the country.

[00:10:30]So for me I think that um those are the tests that will also make us better. So the internal mechanisms will deal with all of that. Thank you.

[00:10:39]>> Thank you Senator Abiru. Very importantly as a senator you co-sponsored or sponsored rather the copyright bill that became the copyright act. It's a very important piece of legislation that I know a lot of lawyers and people in the entertainment sector appreciate you for. That is a marker of your legislative activity in the chamber. Uh but when it comes to elections and primaries, it does seem that both senators, representatives both in the House of Reps and the House of Assembly uh are forced not to focus on legislative activity but more so constituency projects. Do you feel that this hinders Nigeria's development moving forward?

[00:11:19]Well um well I think that let me start by saying um number one I thank you for acknowledging the copyright but beyond the copyright I mean I must be able I mean I'm also happy to let you know that I've I mean I mean after the copyright I've also I mean um led the um the um the innovation or the improvement that you see around the insurance sector today because part of the bill that I've sponsored that has become an act as well is the Nigerian insurance industry reform act which is al also has improved the um the the the the um the performance of that sector and is gradually helping enhancing the the capacity of that sector. But be that as it may um fine like you know the traditional role of legislators are actually law making um policy influencing oversighting and of course I mean and and what what I mean and and I mean and so on now but you see in this part of the world which is our country I think we have further redefined it or extended the definition to include um um um empowerment and um constituency projects and I think that yes if it's the wish of the people I mean of So let it be and um and what has done what that has done it has also helped infrastructing development across the length and breadth of the of the country as you may I mean um yes we know the um executive um they are saddled with the I mean the provision of um um infrastructure and um social amenities and what have you but you can imagine um 109 senators and over 360 um house of House of Representative members complementing that effort. I think it goes it will go a long way infra infrastruct infrastructing some of the development um um shortfall that we have in this country and you can see it everywhere because the needs of different communities are are different and of course and all politics are local. So each um representative either a senator or a member of the house of representative has in the last 20 years there about been able to bring a lot of sucker to most of their constituents and I think and and I'm redefining the definition I think is our own style and I think we should just accept it the way it is and and and I think is helping the development of the country.

[00:13:37]All right, Senator. Um, now that Ashuaju will get uh the certificate of return uh today uh when it's presented to him after the official announcement. Uh the question that many Nigerians will now be asking is what next? and by what next?

[00:13:54]They'll be saying that even though the formal uh by I next time table uh the formal uh commencement of campaign will not start until August but then of course we know that every action of the president uh is a move towards campaign.

[00:14:08]It's a move towards justifying why he deserves a second term and people asking what will the president campaign with?

[00:14:16]what will he say uh that he has done that has truly and evidentially impacted many Nigerians? I know of course that with 32 governors with more than 70 senators who will all be like you know his campaign managers because while you are campaigning for yourself you're also campaigning from for the president and therefore I asked you Senator Abiu >> what do you think will be the key campaign point for Ashola to deserve a second time in office when campaign actually starts.

[00:14:48]>> Okay.

[00:14:50]Okay. Thank you very much for that. And I think that of course um since I lead I mean since I belong to the same party with the president of course I I mean my campaign will be will of course embrace of course all of the things that the president had done but it's important that I let Nigerians know that um the president president Bola Tinubu GCFR um came into office like we all know on the 29th of May um 2023 as the 16 the 16th president of the Federal Republic Republic of Nigeria. But I think that I mean I believe very strongly that it walked into a house that was already on on fire. What do I mean? Um I think the economy at that time I mean like we all know was at um a very low I mean a decreasing level. Um we all know how um the um the the state of the economy as at that time how the f subsidy issue had become a major drain on the physical um um space in the country and of course the im the immediate bold initiative of the president was to I mean I mean do away with that and that that is an initiative that a lot of our past leaders have shied away from because of the major challenge it can pose. So it shows somebody who it shows the a personality that that is bold and visionary. That is on one part. So and of course we see the benefit that the removal of that f subsidy has done. Equally if you look at as at the time when he came in as the 16th president of course the confidence around our major economic um agencies for example the central bank of Nigeria was actually at a very low help. um the the um um the CBN um was challenged as a I mean from a moral point of view like we all know equally um you had a CBN that was saddled with the with the ability to meet um um liabilities foreign obligations up I mean close to the tune of about $7.4 $4 billion as it were then which are owed to different counterparties abroad you know and these are major issues that determine the way the economy move moves forward and of course the our oil sector as it were as well if you also recall was also challenged in terms of depth and capacity of production so if you ask me I think that um for me part of what has defined the um pres president Bola Tinubu's presidency is number one is bold attempt to correct to confront and correct all of these anomalies. So which of course these are anomalies that has affected our macroeconomic indices that guide us and also um direct the gives the direction to the way the economy should grow. So if you look if you take the issue around the um foil subsidy that that was um um a policy that you know um despite all of the spending of in excess of 4 trillion annually on maybe more than that. Now we never had you know constant supply and this was a it was a system that benefited you know the wellto-do do and of course smugglers who took it out of the country to go and trade it off in neighboring countries.

[00:18:13]So he's been able to nip that in the board and don't forget you know this is I mean I mean doing taking that initiative has also helped the CBN in cailing the use of ways and means because either to all of these arrangements were funded through ways and means so today we have we've freed ourselves of that and of course we have we can see a lot of investment in our in the oil and gas space you know I mean and of course the drainage in terms of importation of wealth too has kind of seriously abated. So that is a plus for us and those those um savings or those savings are now being channeled in channeled into other areas of critical investment for the country. So um again if you look at the foreign exchange issue as well that is another area where we have also eroded investors confidence because most um investors never I mean I mean they they barely cannot thrive in an environment that is not predictive you know I mean they are not good for planning. I mean he part of what the president met was um a foreign exchange um system that was traded almost on three to four different platforms. So you had the nafex being used by the banks, you had the CBN approach, you had the parallel market, you had the exchange. So what the president has done now is to unify and today you know there is stability around the foreign exchange market and that stability has encouraged you know investors to believe in the country. has brought a lot of confidence into the um the the monetary agency of the of the government and of course you can see all of the cleaning cleaning up that is going on in the in in the CBN that is part of what we should be taking to the public because these are things these are indices that will engender um um economic growth.

[00:20:06]>> Yes.

[00:20:06]>> Equally you can also see the recent recapitalization of banks. I mean I mean um what that has done to is to fortify and make our banks more resilient you know and of course I mean I mean I mean they've raised in excess of 4 trillion and that is also very um I mean that I mean that exercise as well has also tried to help the the banking system to clean all of their toxic assets. So today most of the banks now run on a very strong footing and of course ability to support the economy and of course the desire for a 1 trillion economy will I mean can also gradually begin to build. So those are the kind of message we're going to take to the public and more importantly if you look at the um the spending around infrastructure because those are the key um um indicators that define the ash jubil um presidency you can see I mean um freeing up all of these um um areas that are hither to um abnormal of course we have been able to improve our revenue earnings you know I'm so I mean fact allocations today I mean a lot of the states and the local government they have improved revenues that has helped them in meeting age loan contractor debt payments um obligations either to I mean also pay down their debts and also meet salary payments. you really hear about any any state today that even for the um opposition states they are all well I mean compensated and these are so that is the that's the ingenuity that the president has brought to play to play but again when you also look at the area of infrastructure we have the loss coastal road the sooto madag road those are areas that will that will connect various comm community I mean communities there is no part of this um of the uh in the six geopolitical um zones of this country today one construction or the other is not going on. So it is very heartwarming to see this kind of bold leadership and more importantly which of course I should let Nigerians know is also the way the focus around the youth and of course the future of economic growth. Um if you look at the it the area of um digital economy you can see the desire that to update the entire country um spanning over 90,000 kilometers. You know what that will do to the to the future of this country? It is going to help the youth those those playing in the area of technology is going to create as that um project starts it's called project bridge >> you know um project bridge now by the time that comes on stream what you're going to have >> I can I go ahead >> yes yes yes >> go on sir >> yeah can I go ahead yes please >> yes so as I speak to project bridge that is a major major game changer for this economy as once it kicks off before the end of this year you are going to have because all of the financing has been put in place you know by the time that kicks off you know directly you have over over 20,000 young folks that will be employed and indirectly over 150,000 but the future of that project is what matters the future speaks to all of us and particularly our youth you know it's going to help us in terms of security surveillance is going to help in terms of enabling all of the fintexs that we have and open up all and improve the fiber optic access of this country beyond 70%. Which is far ahead of most other growing economies. Those are part of the landmark projects that this particular this current government has put in place and and for me I think it is the hallmark of a visionary leader.

[00:23:48]So um there's a lot for us to take to the to the people as we go to campaign.

[00:23:53]Um I mean you also talk about infrastructure around the aviation sector, the the oil and gas sector, you know, you can see investments that are coming.

[00:24:04]>> Please, please do.

[00:24:05]>> Thank you. Yeah, please can I come here cuz I don't want uh you to lose your train of thoughts on something you were discussing earlier when it comes to ways and means because um I want to ask how the APC yourself and the president expect to separate your performance from that of Boohari because of course former President Buhari was a member of the APC. When you spoke about ways and means earlier on this borrowing, he did come to the Senate retroactively for approval. a Senate that you were also a member of and President Tinubu has you know spoke about his Bhari or he's continued Bhari's legacy. So I did want to ask how you expect to separate the legacy of the Bhari years from the Tinubu years and also specifically cuz we're talking about macroeconomic wins.

[00:24:53]Uh the World Bank has praised the macroeconomic winds and the stability of the economy but it has also said that President Tinu has failed to lift 139 million Nigerians out of poverty. Now President Buhari met 80 million Nigerians in poverty. He increased that number to 115 and in just 2 years the Tinubu administration added 25 million Nigerians to below the poverty line. in just 2 years. What do you have to say to those people who are living lives and now are living 25 million who have now fallen below the poverty line in just 2 years of the Tinubu administration.

[00:25:35]>> Okay. Um let me let me start by saying you know the way this Tobu administration has come into play is um from a reform and a reset um arrangement. And of course, you know, when you when you are when you when you back embark on on on on reform or reforms, you know, it's not an event.

[00:25:56]It's a process. It's a process. So, you got to start with the sticky areas. You have to get the macros properly aligned.

[00:26:04]And that I I believe very strongly that is what we have gradually achieved in the last 3 years. Don't forget the president has just been in office for 3 years. and all of the distortions that he's been battling with. These are agelonged um issues that past presidents have shied away from. Of course, um not only Bhari, even the the president before Bhari, I mean, they've embarked on a for subsidy that never worked for the people but only worked for for for very few people who are very close to to government. So today that is gone. Now under you also alluded to um um the fact that president guari was also on the platform. I completely agree with you and of course so um don't don't forget what the president said. He said look he has asked for a job to be president and of course they must accept both the liabilities and of course the assets. So a part of the liabilities and the challenge is of course some of the things we inherited from um President Bhari and you also alluded to the fact that I was part of the National Assembly that also um approved the um ways and means but tell you the truth um where I agree and I'm not going to uh um deny that but you see um the the arm had been done before it was brought to the um to to the knowledge of of the National Assembly and the facts are there you can go and check they had built up all of that ways and means and of course those are part of what has exhibited the inflation under President but but I think the point to note is the ab the boldness to deal with that and if you also understand and if you have been following you know under President Buhari even the ways and means apart from the illegal nature and the abuse even the pricing model was a distortion to the entire market in Nigeria because it was sub sub um I mean the pricing I mean um was sub optimal you understand and of course part of what the president has done is to bring it out and bring out of all of those dead roots and say look let's deal with them so it's been securitized and it's proper so we are dealing with the challenge of having to make the repayment but the good news is that that abuse has has since been been stopped and you have to give credit to this um president for that and if you see if you also notice that when inflation is moderating beyond the um the the the rejigo I mean of of the of the of the of the of the baseline. The fact that the the um the the the ways and means has been nipped in the bud is also part of the slowdown that you gradually express in the the rate at which inflation is coming down today.

[00:28:41]>> All right. All right. Senator um I I I like um how detailed that you were in showing you know the achievements of the president particularly uh in the areas of the reforms and the things that you will go back you know to the public to say that this is what he has done but a lot of people will remind you that there are two key areas that you uh that you missed out in what people would say you know when it comes to re you know to assessing him not just the people uh even the opposition will remind you and those two have to do with uh insecurity and power. Uh insecurity as you know people have been uh re regurgitating uh the tweets the old tweets by the president himself you know when he in attacking uh the Jonathan administration at that time that it is the responsibility of the government you know to deal with insecurity >> government.

[00:29:34]>> Yes. and and people are saying that just yesterday when he was in Lagos for the election they were expecting that he will at least uh if not go to branch off at where people are still being held in captivity that he will at least say you know something about it but on a general note people are saying that maybe he hasn't delivered on the promises that he made as far as insecurity is concerned power is also an issue uh it was so bad that the minister that the president put in charge um his PR was so low that he was nicknamed loco of Nigeria and you know what means as a as a Euroba man he's you know the abinger of of morbid darkness darkness that is beyond darkness you know pitch black darkness um so much uh so that he went and tried to become a state governor and failed you know at least from what we have known so far I'm asking these two key questions so that uh when you go back as part of the presidency of course uh he has one more year to go for his first time and then four more years if he wins uh in January how therefore will it tackle the issue of security much more than he has done before and particularly the issue of power you see what Lego state is promising now legos state is even saying that we would do away with band bani bans nonsense that bay labu you know fored on Nigerians what do you think that the president should do differently now that people are complaining badly about insecurity and power.

[00:31:11]Okay, let me let me first start by also extending my condolences to all of those that were affected by the um the mushaw incident of yesterday which is the most recent one and also by extension to all people I mean everybody that has been affected with the um um with the insecurity and banditry issues that we have had. Uh well, I think that if you ask me from what I know and what I've gathered, I think that we should still commend our security forces because they are still doing a lot of major work in addressing this um challenge of insecurity. And of course, and by extension, we must also be fair to the president. Yes. um um there's a mixed bag that yes we haven't completely nipped in the board but I'm sure that as um we see all of the efforts being made both from the executive level from the security level even from the national assembly because from the on the part of the national assembly we have supported all of the needs or the asks that um the security um operatives have requested for and we just continue to believe and hope and pray that um we will be able to overcome this challenge that is on one part but uh on the issue around power I also think that yes we are we are not where we wish to be but I think that there's some um um some gradual improvement I mean the Lego state example that you made you know also derives from the fact that this current president has been the one that asented to the electric electricity act that has now decentralized the ability of the states to participate both in gener generation and distribution and all of that that is laudable and of course like I said is a process and I think that if you also look at the um generation capacity I think if I'm correct with the statistics I think is gradually improved under this government um due to the transmission but the truth is that we are not yet where we are meant to be there are issues around the liquidity within the sector as well and I think that that also there is a scheme of arrangement that is also meant to address that I understand there is a 4 trillion naira Um um the entire liquidity challenge there that is the all of the debts owed to all of the operatives there um is also um been identified and there is a um a gradual face arrangement in trying to see through the issue of issuance of bonds and all of that to deal with all of this and let us admit where we have kind of made um um improvement we should acknowledge. You can see that somehow today the investors in that space are also very appreciative of the fact that you know all of the liberalization around the foil diesel and all of that has also helped investment in this sector. So for me I yes we are not there but um I to the extent that gradually we are seeing improvement the cement um um arrangement I understand too is also getting some traction. So, I'm believing that look for somebody that has set us on this path of um correction, I I think that he needs all of our support to continue to encourage him to to to to do better. That is what I would say. I'm not an expert in those fields, but my understanding of those areas is what I've tried to explain.

[00:34:32]>> Thank you, Senator Abberu. Earlier on, I said that uh the Tonubu administration had plunged 25 million Nigerians into poverty. I want to ask how many Nigerians have you been able to lift out of poverty in the last 2 years? Do you know?

[00:34:49]>> So, so are you speaking? This is directly to me now.

[00:34:52]>> No. To the Tinubu administration, to the APC and to the government in which you are a part of. Yes. Yes.

[00:34:58]>> So, yeah. Okay. Well, you know, my role is the um is the legislative angle, but again, of course, I'm part of the entire APC. um um um um um organization. So and of course our government so I take part of the u whatever challenge that the the party has or the government has is a challenge that I so I'm also um responsible for. So let me put it this way. So starting with where um the president started which is in the area of reforms and you know the reform there is no way you can embark on the kind of reforms that he has embarked upon whereby and you won't see some pains. So you go and look at all of the reformed countries of this world, whether it's South Korea, whether it's whether it's Rwanda, whether it's um um Singapore, you know, there is no reform.

[00:35:53]You know, what reforms, what they require is steadiness, consistency, and visionary leadership. Now what you can see from the three years of the tinus administration we are beginning to see um a balance in the a stability in the macro environment that in in itself is a signal for economic growth. So even when you look at the forecast of the likes of IMF today above all of the prediction for for the global economy Nigeria's forecast is always still above that core. So that tells you that a a process has started. Now the next process is how do we deal deal we have dealt with the macros how do we now deal with the micro which is where you and I we belong the poor man on the street and all of that.

[00:36:41]So that process is I mean of course I mean as we journey along even along with all of the stability that we see there has been different kind of support programs whether in terms of u um um grants and all of that that but you see a lot still needs to be done and I believe strongly that that inclusion in lifting people out and bringing about um um um what I I mean middle class and all of that is going to be the next phase.

[00:37:08]So the process that started need of course will need to start from the macro level and after which you now it begins to cascade. So it requires a bit of time. So if other clims I mean took um years to do it I mean all of the problems that we are dealing with were not created within 3 years. So the solution with due respect cannot be complete within 3 years. So yes, I agree with the need to move lift people out of poverty, but we are seeing a lot of all of almost all hands on deck from the federal level via grants and all kind of arrangements, you know, and even at the um legislative level. I mean what so when you talk about um constituency projects and all of that, those are ways of trying to manage all of the um societal problems. So I think that um the foundation is already laid. Yeah.

[00:38:06]>> All right. Senator, just before we let you go, just two quick questions from me. Uh you've been a senator since uh 2020. Uh there have been talks about uh uh the National Assembly this time around being a rubber stamp, you know, to uh the presidency. What would be your assessment uh of this uh 10th U assembly particularly the Senate? Uh and then more importantly and I would like to ask that you know uh in a different way from what I did earlier. Why in specific terms do you think that President Tobu deserve a second time a second term in office? For what specific reason would you think that Nigerians should reelect him?

[00:38:54]>> Okay. Thank you once again Steve. I believe very strongly that um um the president president Bolaugu GCFR I think he has shown courage he has shown boldness and he has been able to take tough decisions and that is how you you know you define or you know missionary leaders and I think that um if you look at our environment today I've mentioned to you all of the um um salutary roles that he has played in key sectors of the economy whether you're talking of the oil and gas industry you now you can see that the level of um daily production now has improved and we are seeing significant investment by the IOC's both in terms of the um upstream and um deep water and of course in terms of gas infrastructure so whether you talk about the shell investment in um in in gas or the bunga I mean the investment in bunga in excess of 5 billion and the proposed investment of our 20 billion. These are signs of great things to come along our way. We can also see all of the things is done in terms of infrastructure and the support for the youth. I mean NE fund is there which is a way to also bring support to a a lot of our students. uh and this is one regime out of all of the regimes that I know or one government out of all of the government that I have known uh that has not witnessed any form of protest or lockdown of schools or universities is a major is a major credit is managed all of the issues around the tertiary institutions this is a government that has freed up resources in order to I mean put them into critical areas like um road infrastructure marine and All of that this is a government that has under whose watch even the Nigerian stock exchange has also grown very astronomically which has improved a lot of a lot of our pension um pensioners all of the pension fund investments have gotten improved. Retail investors have also been I mean wealth has been created for them. So I I I believe strongly that um the senator I mean well of course the senator as well um um president Tinubu has given a good account of what visionary leadership is and speaking to um the national assembly in all of this when people say we are rubber stamps you know let me give you an example I mean I mean this is I mean this is um all of us wanting to improve our lives and so when you see a national assembly that are supporting initiatives that are very ingenious and great for this for the for the support of our people. What else should we do? They properly all of those requests they are properly tested and discussed and debated. For example, people will talk about the debt issues and all of that. Look, if you look at what a I mean I mean the kind of debt um request request for debt or loans that will come to the national assembly there always critical um they meant to fund critical needs in the areas of infrastructure and in doing in coming up with our approvals we check what it takes for sustain for what is called debt sustainability today let me tell you and tell Nigerians the you know what you measure in terms of debts is look you look at your debt to GDP ratio in N for Nigeria today is still at 37%. Go and look at other countries whether it is Brazil at 80%, the UK at 100% or or the the US at 110%. Then you also look at the ability to service the debt. This is a a leadersh a president that met debt service capacity at 97%. Today as we speak is at 62%. So when people say the National Assembly is a um um um um is a rubber stamp institution. Look, you have we need all hands to be on deck, you are just put to me that we should be responsible for Bhari's government.

[00:42:54]Shouldn't we be responsible for ash I mean government as well when we are all members of the of the same party and we see good causes. We just don't have a choice but to support it. So for me, I think that there's a lot to take to the campaign trail to showcase our president.

[00:43:11]>> All right, Muk Adumbo Airu, distinguished senator representing Lagos East Senatorial District. We want to thank you so much for joining us on the morning show today. Thank you indeed.