Tinubu’s policies against ordinary Nigerians – Utomi

Renowned political economist, Professor Pat Utomi has again criticised President Bola Tinubu’s economic policies, saying they have worked against ordinary Nigerians.

In a Thursday commentary on Facebook, Utomi lamented that poverty is increasing, inequality is widening and the benefits promised by the administration have not materialised.

This comes amid reports that the former presidential candidate is leading a political commission whose aim is to convince opposition candidates to form a coalition ahead of the 2027 general elections.

The commission is reportedly set to hold closed-door meetings with shortlisted opposition presidential candidates and their party leaders in furtherance of that agenda.

Utomi asserted that the Tinubu administration’s policies were making it difficult for Nigerians to produce, create and build businesses.

“Tinubu’s policies have been against ordinary Nigerians. Poverty is increasing, inequality is widening, and the benefits that were promised have not come. We cannot transform Nigeria by making it harder for Nigerians to produce, create and build businesses,” he said.

Utomi, who has previously described the government’s economic management as a “Ponzi scheme” economics and criticised its aggressive revenue drive through heavy taxation and port charges as strangling businesses, said what the country needs is a people-centred political economy.

“What we need is a people-centred political economy that empowers citizens to create value, expands opportunity and makes it possible for ordinary Nigerians to live productive and dignified lives.

“The government must create an environment where businesses can thrive, people can work, and citizens can participate meaningfully in the economy,” he said.

He warned that without a fundamental shift in approach, the country risks sliding deeper into a socio-economic crisis.

“Without this fundamental shift, we risk sliding deeper into a socio-economic crisis. The question is not simply whether we have introduced reforms. The question is; who are these reforms working for? Nigeria must return to policies that put people, production and value creation at the centre of development,” Utomi stated.