Tinubu’s Aide Urges Nigerians to Be Patient, Citing India’s 50-Year Development Journey
Aliyu Audu, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Public Affairs, has called on Nigerians to practice patience and foster a collective spirit as the nation embarks on its path toward economic transformation. Speaking on Channels Television’s The Beam on Monday, June 2, Audu highlighted that sustainable progress requires time, vision, and unity, drawing on international examples to make his point.
“Nation-building is a process that takes time,” he said. “Look at Singapore—it took about 35 years. India took 50 years. But we are Nigerians, and we are unique. It doesn’t have to take that long for us.”
Audu, a member of the All Progressives Congress (APC), acknowledged Nigeria’s complicated political history, including the failures of past governments, but emphasized the need for a united perspective moving forward. “We’ve been in power for 10 years, and the previous administration, the PDP, had a rough 16 years. But that’s our shared history. Every party and leader who has governed this country is part of the story. We are building nationhood together.”
Addressing inflation and the rising cost of living, he explained that the issue is not just about market prices but also about the purchasing power of citizens. “When purchasing power goes up, life improves. When jobs are created, life gets better,” he remarked.
On the topic of corruption, Audu stressed that rooting out graft is key to unlocking Nigeria’s economic potential. “If we can remove corruption from our identity, more funds become available for job creation. We need to make shaming corruption a deliberate effort,” he said.
He further elaborated on the importance of circulating wealth within the economy, noting that money hoarded by corrupt individuals hinders growth. “Money is just a medium of exchange. A million naira sitting idle is not the same as a million naira that changes hands multiple times,” Audu pointed out.
Criticizing the long-standing habit of corrupt elites hoarding wealth, he argued that such practices stall economic activity and development.