Former Acting National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Hilliard Etta, has defended President Bola Tinubu's handling of security and economic affairs, arguing that the country has recorded fewer deaths from insecurity under the current administration than under previous governments.
Etta made the remarks during an interview on ARISE NEWS on Sunday, where he rejected claims that insecurity had worsened since Tinubu assumed office in May 2023.
According to him, assessments of the administration's performance should be based on available statistics and comparative data rather than public sentiment.
"Far less people have died under Asiwaju Bola Tinubu than any government from the time. It's on the newspapers. It's on the newspapers. It's on the terrorism index," Etta said.
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The APC chieftain also pushed back against suggestions that terrorist attacks and violent crimes had outpaced security gains recorded by the military.
Responding to claims that more Nigerians had been killed than insurgents neutralised, Etta urged critics to acknowledge the sacrifices and achievements of security personnel.
"Don't say that, please. You stand down here and teach the military personnel well. Do not do that to our military personnel. The people that have been neutralised by our military personnel are over and above the people that have been neutralised by our military personnel," he said.
Beyond security, Etta praised the administration's infrastructure drive, describing ongoing road construction projects across the country as unprecedented in Nigeria's recent history.
He maintained that the scale of investment in critical infrastructure under Tinubu surpasses what previous civilian administrations achieved within a similar period.
"The only time we have had the level of infrastructural investment that we have in Nigeria is during the war time," he said.
"The level of infrastructural development in this country in the past two years is unprecedented. As we speak, there are 2,700 kilometres of road, concrete reinforced roads going on in Nigeria today. No government outside of the government of Tinubu has been able to do this."
Etta further argued that key economic indicators point to improvements in the country's economic outlook despite concerns over the rising cost of living and inflation.
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According to him, Nigeria's economy is recording stronger growth while foreign reserves have risen significantly under the current administration.
"Now, Nigeria is one of the fastest-growing economies in the world today, with about 4.3%. We have pushed our reserves to nearly 50 billion US dollars," he stated.
The former APC acting chairman's comments come amid continuing debates over the impact of the Tinubu administration's economic reforms, security policies and infrastructure projects as the government approaches the midpoint of its first term.
