Femi Falana criticises Tinubu’s economic policies, claiming they worsen hardship for ordinary Nigerians while benefiting only the wealthy elite

[dropcap]T[/dropcap]inubu economic policies have come under sharp criticism from human rights lawyer and Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Femi Falana, who says they have only served the interests of the wealthy while worsening the plight of ordinary citizens.

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Falana made the remarks during an appearance on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Monday, as top officials of the All Progressives Congress (APC) marked President Bola Tinubu’s second year in office.

“For members of the government and I’m talking of top officials it’s been very rosy. One of them was singing a week ago that things are getting better,” Falana said.

“Of course, for the rich, the bourgeoisie, things are getting better. But for the masses of our people, things are getting tougher because they are going through an excruciating economic crisis.”

While President Tinubu has consistently urged Nigerians to be patient with his reform agenda, Falana argued that such appeals cannot replace economic policies rooted in Nigeria’s socio-economic realities.

“In fairness to the President, on many occasions, he has asked Nigerians to bear with him, to exercise patience, that our economic programme will lead to prosperity,” Falana noted.

“Whether you believe that or not is another matter, but the government itself realises that there is a crisis in town, that people are hungry, that many are about to withdraw their children from school because of the rigid implementation of neoliberal policies dictated or endorsed by the IMF and World Bank.”

Falana further criticised the naira devaluation, stating that such a policy harms a largely import-dependent economy like Nigeria’s, driving up living costs and eroding public confidence.

“My position, which I have made repeatedly clear, is that the government must abandon the prescriptions of the Bretton Woods institutions and have confidence in Nigeria so that Nigerians can be given the opportunity to run this country in the interest of our people,” he said.

“If you devalue the currency of a country that is import-oriented, you are going to have an astronomical rise in the price of goods, and that is what has happened to our country. You devalue the currency, and you lose interest.”

Falana also used the opportunity to call on citizens to actively engage in governance by tracking budget allocations and holding public officials to account.

“I want to challenge Nigerians to appreciate that budgets are presented to the National Assembly by the President. Governors also present budgets to their respective Houses of Assembly.