The Lagos State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has strongly criticised politician Gbenga Olawepo-Hassim over his comments comparing Nigeria’s current economic situation with past administrations. Olawepo-Hassim had claimed that the economy performed better under former Presidents Olusegun Obasanjo and Goodluck Jonathan than it is doing under President Bola Tinubu.

In a statement issued on Friday, the Lagos APC, through its spokesperson Seye Oladejo, described the claims as misleading and selective. The party argued that the Obasanjo and Jonathan governments enjoyed years of high oil prices, strong foreign reserves, and lower population pressure, yet failed to carry out key reforms that could have protected Nigeria’s economy from long-term problems.

According to the party, those administrations relied heavily on oil income and consumption-based policies without investing enough in productivity, diversification, and power supply. The APC pointed out that despite huge spending, the power sector remained weak, fuel subsidies drained public funds, and the economy became highly dependent on imports. These unresolved issues, the party said, were passed on to later governments.

Defending President Tinubu, the Lagos APC stated that he inherited an economy weighed down by fuel subsidies, foreign exchange manipulation, and deep structural flaws. The party explained that policies such as subsidy removal and unifying the exchange rate were necessary corrections, not political experiments. It warned Nigerians against romanticising the past and insisted that tough decisions today are meant to secure long-term economic stability for the country.