Senator Aliyu Wadada (Nasarawa West) has defended the administration of President Bola Tinubu, saying only “an open enemy” would dismiss the achievements of the government.
Speaking with State House correspondents after meeting President Tinubu at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, yesterday, Wadada said available economic indicators showed major improvements since he assumed office.
According to the senator, while the administration still has more work to do, it would be unrealistic to ignore what he described as visible progress across key sectors of the economy.
“But for anybody to sit down and wish away this administration, then that person is either ignorant, or not realistic, or an open enemy, because opposition is different from being an enemy,” he said.
Wadada cited improvements in Nigeria’s balance of payments, balance of trade, foreign reserves, exchange rate stability and the capital market as evidence that the government’s economic reforms were yielding results.
He said the country’s foreign reserves had risen from below $30 billion when Tinubu assumed office to about $56–57 billion, while the unification of the foreign exchange windows had contributed to greater stability of the naira.
The senator also pointed to ongoing infrastructure projects across the country and growth in the Nigerian capital market as signs of economic progress under the current administration.
He, however, stressed that the achievements did not mean all challenges had been resolved.
“There are glaring improvements, developments and growth in every sector, but that is not to say all is well. Much more needs to be done,” he said.
Turning to Nasarawa State, Wadada outlined his “HEARTS Agenda,” describing it as a development blueprint focused on human capital development, energy and mineral resources, agriculture and the green economy, rural and urban development, trade and investment, and security.
He said education and healthcare would form the cornerstone of his human capital development programme, while Nasarawa’s vast mineral resources and energy potential would be harnessed to drive industrial growth.
Wadada also praised the Tinubu administration for signing the Electricity Act, saying it had opened opportunities for states to generate electricity using their comparative advantages.
He noted that Nasarawa State had become a leading player in Nigeria’s solid minerals sector, with the country’s first and second lithium processing plants located in the state.
On agriculture, the senator said he planned to establish three agricultural hubs—one in each senatorial district—based on the comparative advantage of each zone to boost production and create jobs.
He also pledged to build on the achievements of Governor Abdullahi Sule, saying the current administration had raised the profile of Nasarawa State through infrastructure development and the expansion of its mining sector.
“So much is expected of me, and Inshallah, we shall deliver,” Wadada said
