A lot of people kicked against Tinubu’s reforms, but we’ve started to see the fruits — Sen. Olamilekan Adeola

Senator Solomon Olamilekan Adeola is the Chairman, Senate Committee on Appropriation, and a veteran of the legislature in Nigeria in his own right. In this interview with KEHINDE AKINTOLA, he speaks on how Nigerian democracy has survived its longest unbroken streak of 26 years in the country, the socio-economic reforms being championed by President Bola Tinubu, declaring that though many people opposed the reforms at inception, the results are now becoming evident. He also speaks on the importance of June 12 as Democracy Day in Nigeria. Excerpts:

President Bola Tinubu was recently at the National Assembly to mark this year’s Democracy Day and 26 years of unbroken democratic rule. What is your take on the essence of that event?

Well, first and foremost, let me also join the President in congratulating millions of Nigerians on the occasion of the Democracy Day, 2026. And if you have listened to the President, he spoke about various topical issues across the divide. He has addressed the country and the importance of this day we are celebrating. He has equally alluded to the fact of the role of the National Assembly in trying to save our democracy in three different locations. He has equally mentioned to the country, to Nigerians, that the reforms he is putting in place are working and that we are beginning to see the fruit of this reform, which I quite agree with him 110percent. And not only that, but the President also granted posthumous honorary awards to notable Nigerians who were part and parcel of the struggle for the emergence of this 26-year-old democratic rule, which we are currently enjoying as a country. So, by and large, I want to commend the President and want to thank him very much for at least using this platform to speak to Nigerians on this Democracy Day. And all that has been said has been well taken, and we quite agree with him. Because, long before now, when some of these reforms were introduced, a lot of people kicked against them. The people felt that Nigeria has been put on a path, but now there is a shift, and we are beginning to see the benefits of these reforms. Subsidy has gone, from the very first day he assumed office. And today, we can see the liberalization of the downstream sector, where competition is allowed. You can see the free flow of movement of prices ups and downs, that shows that there is a healthy competition in the downstream sector of the economy. On the unification of exchange rates, you can equally see how it is working now. The budget that was presented and that was passed by the National Assembly is at $1,500. And if you go to the black market now, dollars hovers between $1,500 and $1,600. That shows the unification of this rule is working. And so many other reforms and so many other good initiatives that the President has put forward. So, as a matter of fact, these two years in office has been something that is highly commendable. And I want to call on Nigerians to continue to support the President so that we can bring in more goodies to Nigerians that will definitely entrench us as a country and reposition us going into the future.

So, two years of the Nigerian Senate, the 10th Senate, how has it felt?

 Well, as you can see, it’s been very good. We have worked to ensure that we keep up with the pace, and we have done our best to ensure that not only that we operate as National Assembly, but also working in collaboration with the Executive so that we can deliver this dividend of democracy to Nigeria.

So, within the last two years, in terms of the number of bills, in terms of the number of motions that have been passed, it is evident that the National Assembly has done well in the discharge of its duty. And all we can say is that using this as a platform of two years to celebrate democracy in the National Assembly is a right step in the right direction. And I can assure you that as a lawmaker of repute of so many years standing, I want to believe that this Assembly, so far so good, in terms of their day-to-day activities, is the best.

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But some people have said that with the increasing number of APC members in the National Assembly, bills, motions, especially Executive bills, will be easy to pass now,  and that maybe thorough consideration and debate would be missing. How do you respond to those people?

I don’t join that school of thought. And first and foremost, let me also congratulate the President for that beautiful clarification he has done concerning the issue of a one-party state. And I want to say that he has addressed the issue thoroughly, and he has said to Nigeria that he will not be a supporter of a one-party state. He was also a victim at one point. Thank God that he was able to navigate his way through, and today, standing before us as the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. But he will not assist any party which failed to resolve its internal issues. He said he won’t help them resolve their issues. They can resolve their issues, and that is a good step in the right direction, and that’s a beautiful clarification. Now, talking in terms of the number of APC in the Nigerian Senate or the House of Representatives, I want to tell you this. Bills are being discussed on their two merits. Nobody pays attention if you are APC or PDP, because these bills are not meant for APC or PDP or any party. The bills are meant for Nigeria. And once it passes into law, it stands binding on Nigerians, and we have to implement the latter. So anybody who will work based on party affiliation on any bills will not only be putting himself in a very difficult position, but also Nigerians in a difficult position. So, I will not join that school of thought, that bills will only be debated on the merit of that bill, and it will be passed into law accordingly. But for us, having so many APC and other parties, it doesn’t work like that in the Nigerian Senate, and I fully believe the same is applicable to the House of Representatives.