Tinubu saved Nigeria from turning to Venezuela — Emerhor

A founding leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Delta State, Olorogun O’tega Emerhor, has declared that Nigeria would have suffered an economic collapse similar to Venezuela’s if President Bola Ahmed Tinubu had not demonstrated the courage and foresight to introduce far-reaching economic reforms upon assuming office in 2023. Olorogun Emerhor, who stated this on Thursday during the Delta State APC campaign flag-off in Oleh, Isoko South Local Government Area, said Tinubu inherited an economy weakened by years of poor management and unsustainable policies, insisting that the President’s difficult but necessary decisions had rescued the country from the brink of economic disaster.

The APC chieftain also called for the re-election of President Tinubu and Delta State Governor, Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori, in 2027, arguing that both leaders had demonstrated the capacity to reposition the country and state for sustainable economic growth and infrastructural transformation. According to Emerhor, Nigeria was heading towards an economic crisis comparable to that of Venezuela, an oil-rich South American country that experienced severe economic difficulties despite possessing some of the world’s largest crude oil reserves.

“President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has rescued Nigeria. If our President had not taken those bold decisions, Nigeria would have gone the way of Venezuela. Do you want Nigeria to become another Venezuela? “Venezuela has more oil than Nigeria, but bad leadership and years of economic mismanagement destroyed its economy. For many years, that was the kind of governance we experienced in Nigeria,” he stated.

Emerhor criticised some opposition political figures seeking to challenge Tinubu in the 2027 presidential election, alleging that several of them were part of the political establishment responsible for the country’s longstanding economic difficulties. He maintained that it took Tinubu’s political courage and determination to confront the structural challenges that previous administrations had failed to address.

“All those who are today running to become President were part of the system that contributed to the destruction of Nigeria. It was Bola Ahmed Tinubu who had the courage to take those difficult decisions. “Today, we are beginning to have a stable economy. The President has laid a strong foundation for economic prosperity. We have a prudent President, and our foreign reserves are growing.

Tinubu is doing well,” Emerhor declared. The APC leader argued that removing Tinubu after his first term would amount to abandoning the economic recovery process midway, stressing that the President deserved another four years to consolidate his reforms and deliver their anticipated benefits to Nigerians. Using the analogy of constructing a building, Emerhor said the President had successfully laid the foundation for Nigeria’s economic recovery and should be allowed to complete the structure.

“Do you want to invite those who destroyed the house to come back and rebuild it? We have to give President Tinubu another four years to build the skyscraper on top of the foundation he has laid. “We need to give him those four years, and you will see what Nigeria will become. We must give him our full support,” he said. Turning to Delta State, Emerhor showered praises on Governor Sheriff Oborevwori, describing his performance under the MORE Agenda as remarkable and deserving of another term in office.

He said the governor had recorded significant achievements in infrastructure and other critical sectors within barely three and a half years, expressing confidence that another four years would position Delta State among Nigeria’s most developed states. Emerhor, who referred to Oborevwori by his popular nickname, Ukodo, said the governor’s achievements were so numerous that recounting them would be like singing the popular Christian hymn, Count Your Blessings.

“Now, let me talk about our Ukodo. Many people have already counted so many things that he has done. I would have loved us to sing, ‘Count your blessings, name them one by one.’ “Look at what he has done in just three years. Give him another four years, and we will beat Lagos. Don’t you want that?” he asked, drawing cheers from party supporters. The APC founding leader further declared that the massive gathering of political leaders and supporters at the Oleh campaign flag-off demonstrated the growing strength and dominance of the ruling party in Delta State.

He described the occasion as a gathering of the state’s political heavyweights, insisting that the APC had emerged as the dominant political force ahead of the 2027 general elections. “I have come here today as the happiest man. I can see the cream of the political class, all the political juggernauts, gathered here today. “There is no other party in Delta State than APC!

Anybody pretending that there is another party in this state is deceiving himself. Can you see what is happening here today?” he declared.