National Chairman of the Peoples Redemption Party (PRP), Dr. Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, has criticised the administration of President Bola Tinubu, accusing it of introducing major economic reforms without adequate planning and failing to address the country’s pressing challenges of poverty, insecurity and corruption.
Baba-Ahmed made the remarks during an interview on Channels Television’s *Politics Today* on Friday, where he questioned the Federal Government’s handling of key economic policies, particularly the removal of fuel subsidy, and argued that the administration had not met the expectations of Nigerians.
According to the PRP chairman, major government policies should be based on careful planning and detailed assessments before they are implemented, especially when they have far-reaching consequences for millions of citizens.
He alleged that the Tinubu administration failed to conduct the necessary evaluation before announcing the removal of fuel subsidy immediately after assuming office in May 2023.
“You don’t embark on policies without SWOT analysis. The very day President Tinubu was sworn in, by his own admission, the issue about removing subsidy was not even in his speech,” Baba-Ahmed said.
SWOT analysis is a planning tool used to examine the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats associated with a policy or project before implementation. According to Baba-Ahmed, such an assessment would have enabled the government to better prepare for the social and economic consequences of the decision.
He argued that a policy as significant as the removal of fuel subsidy required careful planning, consultation and measures to reduce its impact on ordinary Nigerians.
“No government undertakes a policy measure of this magnitude without putting it through the most basic elements of a SWOT analysis,” he said.
The removal of fuel subsidy was one of the first major economic decisions taken by President Tinubu after he assumed office. During his inaugural speech on May 29, 2023, the President declared that “fuel subsidy is gone,” a move that immediately led to a sharp increase in the pump price of petrol across the country.
The policy was introduced as part of broader economic reforms aimed at reducing government spending, improving public finances and encouraging investment in the downstream petroleum sector. The Federal Government has repeatedly maintained that the subsidy regime had become unsustainable and consumed huge amounts of public funds that could be redirected to infrastructure, education, healthcare and other development projects.
However, the policy also triggered a sharp rise in transportation costs, food prices and the general cost of living. Combined with the floating of the naira exchange rate, inflation has remained high, placing additional pressure on households and businesses across the country.
The Federal Government has introduced several intervention programmes, including cash transfers to vulnerable households, student loans, support for small businesses and wage awards for public workers, saying the measures are designed to cushion the effects of the reforms.
Despite these interventions, many Nigerians continue to complain about rising prices of goods and services and declining purchasing power.
Baba-Ahmed argued that the government’s economic policies have not translated into improved living conditions for ordinary citizens.
According to him, although government revenues have increased, many Nigerians are becoming poorer due to the rising cost of living.
“Now we’re here. Nigeria is making so much money, and yet poverty levels are rising, insecurity is rising and corruption is rising,” he alleged.
He also criticised the administration’s performance in tackling insecurity and corruption, saying President Tinubu had entered office with considerable political experience and public goodwill but had not taken advantage of the opportunity to address the country’s long-standing challenges.
“The President came to power with fairly good credentials. You would think a man who is so ambitious and who said, ‘It’s my time,’ would come to power and tackle some of the most fundamental problems of this country, insecurity, cost of living and corruption. He did none of those things,” Baba-Ahmed said.
Nigeria has continued to battle multiple security challenges, including terrorism in the North-East, banditry and kidnapping in the North-West and North-Central, crude oil theft in the Niger Delta and violent crimes in several parts of the country.
While the Federal Government has maintained that security agencies have recorded significant successes against criminal groups, concerns remain over persistent attacks, kidnappings and communal violence in different regions.
The PRP chairman also addressed recent discussions about the role of opposition parties ahead of the 2027 general elections.
He dismissed suggestions that opposition politicians were interested in removing the government through unconstitutional means, insisting that any change in leadership would only come through democratic elections.
“We intend to remove the government by voting them out of power. That is the case,” he said.
His remarks come amid increasing political activities among opposition parties seeking to strengthen their positions ahead of the next general election.
The Peoples Redemption Party is one of Nigeria’s oldest political parties and traces its roots to the political movement led by the late Mallam Aminu Kano. Although the party currently has limited electoral representation at the national level, it has continued to comment on major national issues and advocate policies aimed at reducing poverty and promoting social justice.
Since assuming office, President Tinubu has defended his administration’s economic reforms, insisting that they were necessary to prevent a fiscal crisis and lay the foundation for long-term economic growth.
Government officials have argued that difficult decisions, including subsidy removal and exchange rate reforms, were unavoidable because previous economic policies were no longer sustainable.
The administration has also pointed to improvements in government revenue, increased foreign investment interest and ongoing infrastructure projects as signs that the reforms are beginning to produce positive results.
However, opposition parties and many economic analysts continue to debate whether the benefits of the reforms are reaching ordinary Nigerians quickly enough.
Baba-Ahmed maintained that the Tinubu administration has fallen short of public expectations, arguing that Nigerians had hoped for stronger leadership in addressing the country’s economic and security challenges.