A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Lagos State, Obafemi George, says Nigerians will look back in decades and appreciate President Bola Tinubu’s reforms.

Mr George, a founding member of the ruling APC, in an interactive session in Lagos, responded to questions on the Tinubu administration’s policies, opposition politics, economic reforms, and the 2027 general elections.

He said Mr Tinubu laid the foundation for modern Lagos as governor and was implementing similar reforms at the national level.

Mr George said the president had prioritised infrastructure, economic restructuring, and institutional reforms to reposition the country for long-term prosperity.

According to him, the impact of the reforms would become more evident with time.

“We must follow the person that knows the road in 2027. He has done it in Lagos State and has started replicating it at a faster rate nationally,” he said.

Mr George said no country had transformed its economy from poverty to prosperity within three years.

He said successful economies such as China, Singapore, Dubai and Rwanda took decades to achieve sustained development and urged Nigerians to exercise patience as the reforms yield full desired fruits.

“Tell me one country that has moved from poverty to prosperity in three years. It is not possible. It takes painful processes and sacrifices.

“Is it China, Dubai, Singapore, or Rwanda? Their transformations took decades. Nigeria will also feel the benefits with time.

“In 10 years, Nigerians will look back and say Tinubu is the best president Nigeria has ever had because of the courageous reforms he has undertaken,” he said.

Mr George dismissed claims that the APC was behind the internal crises rocking opposition parties, saying disputes within the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) predated Mr Tinubu’s assumption of office.

He attributed the PDP’s internal crisis to disagreements over power rotation before the 2023 presidential election.

Mr George said his confidence in Tinubu’s re-election was based on electoral statistics and political structures, not emotions.

He identified the North-West and South-West as the country’s most strategic voting blocs because of their large number of registered voters. He added that the APC also maintained strong political structures in the North-Central and South-South regions.

“Politics is a game of numbers. It is not driven by emotions or social media conversations.

“I believe the opposition will be shocked in 2027 because elections are decided by votes and political structures, not online sentiments,” he said.

Mr George said the federal government had introduced interventions to cushion the effects of current economic challenges, such as including free caesarean sections for indigent women, an 80 per cent subsidy on dialysis treatment, and the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND).

He urged Nigerians to verify information before believing claims circulated on social media.

“Not everything you see on social media is true. People should always verify facts before drawing a conclusion,” Mr George said.

(NAN)