…Defends reforms, says macro indicators improving despite hardship

Senator Orji Uzor Kalu, representing Abia North Senatorial District, has declared President Bola Tinubu the candidate to beat in the 2027 presidential election, saying the administration has stabilised Nigeria’s macroeconomy despite hardship at the grassroots.

Speaking on Wednesday on Channels Television’s Politics Today, Kalu defended the government’s economic reforms and dismissed claims of a rift between the President and the Catholic Church.

On whether the Federal Government owes Nigerians an apology over hardship, Kalu said the situation must be viewed within the context of global disruptions.

He cited the Russia-Ukraine war, tensions in the Middle East, and disruptions to shipping routes as factors pressuring economies worldwide, including the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom.

On the previous administration’s Ways and Means financing, Kalu admitted money was printed but said the National Assembly cautioned against it.

“We advised the executive that they shouldn’t print money, and we have equally advised President Tinubu against it,” he said, adding that the current administration has ended the practice.

The senator drew a distinction between macroeconomic stability and microeconomic realities, saying: “The macro side of the economy has been stabilised. The exchange rate is stabilising, fuel prices are stabilising, foreign direct investments are coming in, and confidence is gradually returning”.

However, he acknowledged that the microeconomy remains under strain. “As a businessman, I manufacture goods, and I know the microeconomy is not doing well. President Tinubu himself knows Nigerians are suffering.”

Kalu attributed weak microeconomic conditions largely to insecurity, noting that banditry and insurgency have kept farmers off their land and driven food prices up. He said ongoing security operations aim to restore farming and improve living conditions.

“In a reform process, you see the good, the bad and the ugly. Reform is not a Christmas party. It takes time before the benefits trickle down,” he stated.

On the recent engagement between President Tinubu and the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria, Kalu defended both sides, noting: “The Catholic Bishops were right. If they had said anything less than what they said, they would no longer be the conscience of this country”.

He maintained that the President neither insulted nor disrespected the bishops, and that comments by aides should not be taken as the President’s personal position.

“The Villa is not President Tinubu. I was a governor, and I understand how communication works. President Tinubu has a very good relationship with the Catholic Church,” Kalu said.

He described the bishops as moral voices whose counsel should be welcomed, and cautioned against conflating the conference’s official communiqué with personal opinions by individual clerics.

Reacting to calls for an apology from the Presidency, Kalu disagreed. “The President did not say anything that requires an apology.
So convinced am I that if President Tinubu ever disrespects the Catholic Church, I will resign from the APC,” he added.

Looking to 2027, Kalu said the APC has not effectively communicated the administration’s achievements in infrastructure, security and economic reforms. “A lot has been done by this government. We simply have not marketed those achievements well,” he said.

He rated the administration’s performance at 65 per cent, projecting it could rise to 70 per cent by September or October.

On the opposition, Kalu said it lacks cohesion to defeat the APC. “If they were united, there might be some concern, but they are not. Our party will not allow President Tinubu to lose the election. We will campaign until he wins.”

He expressed confidence that Tinubu would win Abia State despite Governor Alex Otti’s popularity, while predicting Otti could retain the governorship. He described Otti as a personal friend but denied any political alliance.

On protests over hardship, Kalu defended citizens’ right to demonstrate as part of democracy, but warned against misinformation and AI-generated content on social media.

“The government is doing well, but we have not yet reached where we want to be. The macroeconomy has been stabilised. The next task is ensuring those gains translate into improved living standards for ordinary Nigerians,” he said.

He concluded that if current reforms continue to yield results, the APC will retain power through the ballot in 2027.

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