By Victor Lewis
As political campaigns gather momentum ahead of the 2027 general elections, a chieftain of the All Progressive Congress, APC and Delta State Coordinator of Renewed Hope Agenda, Hon. Chief Funkekeme Solomon has said that the President, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu was actually confronted with a country, Nigeria, that was gasping for breath and lying prostate in the Intensive Care Unit, ICU, when he took over the governance in 2023.
Funkekeme who stated this during an interview with newsmen in Asaba on Tuesday October, 6, 2026, said that the State of the nation when President Tinubu took over was very bad, adding that he had to take a hard decision by removing the albatross, fuel subsidy.
Funkekeme who is also the Senior Policy Advisor to Governor Sheriff Oborevwori, said that the comatose situation of the country when President Tinubu took over was an accumulation of ailments caused by past administrations.
He however said that the Economic Reforms programme which the President initiated in May 29, when he boldly removed fuel subsidy and floated the naira, has not only resuscitated the country, but has steadied it on the path of recovery and growth.
“The hardship didn’t start today. Of course, there was a time when this country was described as the world’s poverty capital. It was not under Tinubu. It didn’t start today. It is an accumulation of missteps of past governments.
“President Tinubu met Nigeria in ICU (Intensive Care Unit). That’s the truth. And that’s why he said he has come to renew our hope. So, Renewed Hope Agenda is to reassure Nigerians that Nigeria will rise again.
“How can you imagine, a country that was subsidizing fuel, yet we don’t have petrol. We were queueing in petrol stations; we were buying from black markets, we were sleeping at filling stations. By 2022 we have printed N4 trillions to pay for subsidies.
“By the time President Tinubu took over, over 27 states could not pay salaries. Twenty one Local Government Councils could not pay salaries. There were backlog of unpaid salaries, pension arrears and promotion arrears”, he recalled.
“Of course, the President had to commence the rebuilding of a broken-down house. And that was what gave him the boldness to remove the fuel subsidy. And to exploit the benefits of the removal, the President has to release enough resources which are now being shared among the three tiers of government, federal, State and local government. There are no more salary arrears, salaries are now being paid as at when due. Local government are now building infrastructure”, Funkekeme said.
On how the removal of fuel subsidy by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has impacted on Delta State,. Funkekeme who is a former Deputy Speaker of the Delta State House of Assembly and former Commissioner for Works, noted that since Governor Oborevwori mounted the governance of the State, he has not borrowed any money yet he executing monumental infrastructural projects across the state.
“Delta State has not borrowed any money under Gov. Oborevwori. Our budget is now N1.5, N1.7.trillion. He has been able to attract Julius Berger, and he is embarking on monumental infrastructure.
“Transportation is now easier especially between Asaba and Warri because of the completion of the Asaba-Ughelli highway dualization. Of course, we are building flyovers, roads across the entire State, amongst numerous other numerous developmental projects”, he said.
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