2027: FHA MD Challenges Opposition — ‘Tell Nigerians What You’ll Do Better Than Tinubu’

The Managing Director of the Federal Housing Authority (FHA), Oyetunde Ojo, has challenged opposition politicians seeking to defeat President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in the 2027 presidential election to present Nigerians with clear and practical alternatives.

Ojo said the forthcoming election should be centred on issues, government records and competing manifestos rather than the personalities or political profiles of the candidates. According to Bush Radio Academy, he made the remarks during a live television interview in Abuja on Monday.

The FHA boss argued that Nigerians should be given enough information to compare the policies and achievements of the current administration with the proposals of those seeking to replace it.

He challenged opposition candidates to explain specifically what they intend to do differently and better if elected, insisting that political popularity alone should not determine the choice of voters.

Ojo said areas such as infrastructure, education, healthcare, security, employment, immigration, foreign exchange, alternative energy and electricity reforms should form part of the debate ahead of the election.

He pointed to several initiatives of the Tinubu administration, including the Nigerian Education Loan Fund, health insurance programmes and the Compressed Natural Gas initiative, which he said had implications for ordinary Nigerians.

The FHA managing director also highlighted road infrastructure and security improvements, as well as reforms in the Interior Ministry, Customs and port operations, as issues voters should consider when assessing the administration’s performance.

On passport administration, Ojo claimed that the government inherited a backlog of about 200,000 applications and had since issued more than two million passports. He also noted that reforms had made it easier for some Nigerians living abroad to obtain passports without making difficult journeys to diplomatic missions.

He further defended the administration’s economic reforms, acknowledging the foreign exchange pressures that followed some of the measures but arguing that the naira had subsequently become more stable and access to foreign exchange had improved.

According to Ojo, the impact of government policies should ultimately be judged by how they affect ordinary citizens rather than by economic statistics alone.

He also cited the proposed state police system and the decentralisation of the electricity sector as reforms that could have significant long-term effects. While acknowledging that Nigeria’s power challenges had not been completely resolved, he said the reforms would require sustained investment and time to produce their full benefits.

Ojo further pointed to employment opportunities created under the current administration, saying the FHA had resumed recruitment after nearly two decades without such an exercise and had employed close to 400 people, including young Nigerians and persons with disabilities.

He also praised ongoing infrastructure projects in Abuja, particularly road construction, bridges and street lighting, while urging voters to examine such developments when deciding whether Tinubu deserves another term.

The FHA boss also criticised the reported proposal by former Vice President Atiku Abubakar to restore petrol subsidy if elected president. Ojo argued that Atiku had previously supported the removal of subsidy and advised him against attempting to revive the policy.

He maintained that if government resources were to be used for subsidies, priority should instead be given to areas such as education and healthcare, which he said could benefit a broader segment of the population.

Ojo insisted that opposition politicians have every right to challenge Tinubu at the polls but must provide detailed manifestos and explain how their proposed policies would produce better results.

He urged political actors to focus their campaigns on measurable outcomes and public service rather than the pursuit of power for personal interests.

According to him, Nigerians should be allowed to compare the records and proposals of all the candidates before making their choice at the ballot box in 2027.