Political Battle Heats Up: Imansuaghon Backs Atiku's Border Stance, Slams Tinubu's Economy
An ADC chieftain, Barrister Kenneth Imansuaghon, has backed Atiku Abubakar's proposal to reopen Nigeria's land borders, arguing it would boost trade and ease economic pressures. He also criticized the Tinubu administration's economic reforms, citing increased living costs and business struggles. Imansuaghon emphasized that border reopening would restore commerce, reduce prices, and create jobs.
Barrister Kenneth Imansuaghon, a chieftain of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and former Edo State governorship aspirant, has voiced strong support for former Vice President Atiku Abubakar’s proposal to reopen Nigeria’s land borders. Imansuaghon argues that such a policy could significantly bolster trade and alleviate mounting economic pressures across the nation.
In a detailed statement, Imansuaghon emphasized that the reopening of Nigeria’s borders with neighboring countries, including the Benin Republic, Niger, Chad, and Cameroon, is crucial for revitalizing cross-border commerce. This move, he believes, would enhance the efficient movement of goods within the West African sub-region and unlock substantial economic opportunities for Nigerians.
Imansuaghon also took the opportunity to critique the economic reforms initiated by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu's administration. He alleged that these reforms have inadvertently led to a surge in the cost of living, placed immense strain on businesses, and made it increasingly challenging for many Nigerians to afford basic necessities. According to him, numerous businesses have either scaled down their operations or completely shut down, resulting in widespread job losses and a weakening of overall economic activity.
“The reopening of the borders will restore legitimate trans-border trade, encourage investors, stimulate local businesses and ultimately reduce the prices of food and other essential commodities through healthy competition,” Imansuaghon stated. He further connected insecurity in parts of northern Nigeria, which constrains agricultural production, to the necessity of increased regional trade to supplement domestic food supplies. Stronger trade relations with neighboring countries, he suggested, could significantly improve supply chains and help stabilize food prices.
Highlighting the broader economic challenges facing Nigerian enterprises, Imansuaghon referenced reports concerning Uber’s operations in Nigeria as an indicator of the difficulties businesses encounter. He further contended that the current economic policies have deterred investment and exacerbated unemployment, particularly among young graduates.
Expressing deep concern over the deteriorating socio-economic conditions and rising poverty levels, Imansuaghon asserted that the situation has intensified pressure on countless households. He accused the Federal Government of failing to make basic necessities more affordable and posited that an Atiku-led administration would implement markedly different economic policies. These comments follow Atiku Abubakar’s recent pledge that, if elected president in 2027 on the ADC platform, he would indeed reopen Nigeria’s land borders and introduce measures to facilitate the movement and importation of goods. Atiku had previously argued that prolonged border closures have disrupted legitimate businesses, hindered regional trade, and ultimately undermined economic growth.