Former Abia State Governor and Senator representing Abia North, Orji Uzor Kalu, has defended President Bola Tinubu’s economic reforms, expressing confidence that the President will secure a landslide victory in the 2027 presidential election.
Kalu spoke on Monday during an appearance on Arise PrimeTime, the flagship evening current affairs programme of Arise News Television, where he defended the administration’s economic policies and declared that “Nigeria’s economy has stabilised.”
The former Senate Chief Whip, who chairs the Senate Committee on the South East Development Commission, responded to criticism of the Tinubu administration over the economic hardship associated with its reforms.
He argued that the government had achieved macroeconomic stability but acknowledged that more work was needed to improve conditions for households and businesses.
According to Kalu, the administration’s immediate task is to translate macroeconomic stability into tangible growth, increased manufacturing capacity, more employment opportunities and better living conditions.
“President Tinubu has been able to stabilise this economy on the macro level. What we are battling now, having stabilised the economy on the macro level, is the micro level,” he said.
He said the government should now focus on reviving agricultural production, strengthening security and creating an enabling environment for manufacturers to access raw materials and increase production.
While acknowledging the challenges facing ordinary Nigerians, Kalu maintained that the country was beginning to experience greater economic predictability, adding that reforms often come with temporary difficulties.
He also credited Tinubu with improving Nigeria’s international economic relations, arguing that the country was attracting increased interest from foreign investors.
The senator expressed confidence in Tinubu’s re-election prospects, describing the opposition as politically disorganised and insisting that his prediction of a landslide victory would not be wrong.
“President Tinubu will win. President Tinubu has no competition. The APC’s electoral strength goes beyond the personality of the President. The ruling party enjoys a broad political structure and substantial grassroots support across the country.
“What we are seeing on social media is not what is on the ground. Our party is very huge, and the supporters of that party are large. We have huge numbers of people supporting this party,” he said.
Kalu added that APC lawmakers and other political stakeholders were already mobilising in their constituencies to strengthen the party’s electoral base ahead of the 2027 election.
He also appealed for national unity and political stability, urging Nigerians to support the completion of Tinubu’s tenure.
“The unity of this country is very important. Let’s not question the unity. We allowed President Buhari to do his eight years and go, and we must allow Tinubu to do his eight years and go,” he said.
He urged Nigerians to evaluate the administration’s economic policies based on their long-term goal of rebuilding the economy rather than the immediate difficulties caused by the reforms.
“You can’t do reform without people suffering. You cannot; it’s not possible,” he said.
Responding to questions about his political relationship with the Igbo political establishment, his decision to remain in the All Progressives Congress and his future political ambitions, Kalu said his political choices were guided by his assessment of national development and loyalty to his party, rather than ethnic considerations.