Alex Otti: Tinubu’s economic policies are good — things will turn around with time

Alex Otti, governor of Abia state, says the economic policies of President Bola Tinubu would come good.

Otti, a chieftain of the Labour Party (LP), spoke with reporters after visiting Tinubu on Sunday at his residence in Lagos.

The governor expressed optimism that if Nigerians are patient with the president’s economic policies, the situation of things in the country would get better.

“Those policies are good but they come with their negative sides. They come with challenges for an economy where over 60 percent of the population are living below the poverty line,” he said.

“So it is not going to be easy immediately, but I believe that if we are patient and go through the policies without compromising that over time, things will turn around.”

Otti said Tinubu came into office when the country was in dire financial straits.

“He came in at a very difficult time when inflation was close to 30 percent. The debt, the national debt, almost $40 billion, unemployment close to 33.3 percent,” the governor said.

“The management of the economy at that time was also a bit challenged with almost N34 trillion printed in what was described as ‘ways and means’.

“So, anyone that understands how the economy works, will agree that it is a very difficult challenge.”

The governor said it was courageous of the president to remove subsidy on premium motor spirit (PMS) and unify the exchange rate.