Naira stability a ‘Big Win’ for Tinubu, says Iyabo Obasanjo

A 2027 governorship aspirant on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ogun State, Professor Iyabo Obasanjo-Bello, has described the stabilisation of the naira against the dollar as a major achievement of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration, saying it deserves commendation.

Obasanjo-Bello, daughter of former President Olusegun Obasanjo, said the relative stability of the currency has brought much-needed predictability to the economy, which is critical for business growth and overall economic prosperity.

She spoke on Saturday while addressing journalists at the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library (OOPL) in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital.

The APC chieftain also praised President Tinubu’s Lagos-Calabar Coastal Road project, noting that it has the potential to decongest the Ogun State corridor of the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, ease transportation to the South-East, link the Lagos and Calabar ports, and boost commercial activities along the route.

“I think there is a lot going on positively. One is the stabilisation of the naira. What that does is that people can predict how much money they will spend on imports and the income they are likely to earn. So, stabilisation of the naira is a big one,” she said.

She added that despite initial criticism of the coastal road project, it would generate revenue through port activities and significantly improve connectivity across the country. According to her, improved transportation infrastructure would open up economic opportunities and enhance trade.

Obasanjo-Bello further said economic stability cannot be underestimated, stressing that when businesses can predict exchange rates, it reduces losses caused by currency volatility and encourages investment. She also pointed to improvements in security, attributing them to increased local and international collaboration, as well as the President’s foreign engagements aimed at boosting trade and economic development.

The former Ogun State Commissioner for Health (2003–2007) maintained that she is well qualified to become Nigeria’s first female governor, arguing that Ogun’s high literacy rate and history of strong female figures, including Madam Tinubu and renowned Egba women warriors, position the state to lead in gender inclusion in governance.

On the agitation for power shift to Ogun West, she said it is not the fault of Ogun Central that the district has yet to produce a governor since the creation of Ogun State on February 3, 1976. She recalled that her father and other prominent leaders from Ogun Central had made efforts in the past to support the emergence of a governor from Ogun West, but those attempts were unsuccessful.