Oshiomhole defends Tinubu reforms: "₦2,000 buys mama put, $1 buys nothing in US"
Edo North Senator Adams Oshiomhole defended President Tinubu's economic reforms on Channels TV's Politics Today Thursday, claiming Nigerians still enjoy cheaper living costs than Americans. "In Nigeria, ₦2,000 can get you something from mama put, but $1-something cannot buy you anything in the US," Oshiomhole said.
He argued the fuel subsidy removal and exchange rate unification—enacted on Tinubu's first day—were painful but necessary to stop revenue bleeding on subsidies and debt service, leaving little for development. The freed funds now target infrastructure, education, health, and the student loan scheme.
Oshiomhole dismissed opposition claims that reforms impoverished Nigerians, insisting the US cost comparison proves otherwise. He noted many Nigerians abroad complain they can't survive on $1 in America yet criticize Nigerian prices at home.
The former Edo governor framed Tinubu as a statesman thinking of the next generation while critics focus on short-term pain. He urged Nigerians to be patient, saying reform benefits will become clearer with time.
The ₦2,000 versus $1 claim has drawn scrutiny online, with users noting the comparison ignores purchasing power parity and exchange rate realities. Whether the analogy holds water or serves as political rhetoric, it frames the government's defense of reforms that have seen fuel prices triple and inflation soar.
Will you wait for the promised long-term gains, or do the current prices at your local mama put tell a different story?