Nigeria has done well at 65, says Rep. Yusuf Gagdi

Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Navy, Yusuf Gagdi, has said Nigeria has made notable progress in its 65 years of independence despite setbacks along the way.

Speaking in an interview with NUJ FCT Chairman, Comrade Grace Ike, Gagdi noted that while the country’s story has been mixed, it has still managed to perform within its capacity.

“At 65, Nigeria has done well. Tinubu has done well,” he said. “We have tried, yet we have also fallen short. Within our capacity, we have done our best.”

The lawmaker stressed that Nigeria’s underdevelopment cannot be blamed entirely on its leaders, pointing instead to international interference and external interests that he believes have hindered the country’s growth.

“There are forces that do not want Nigeria to progress. They know Nigeria is the brain box and heartbeat of Africa,” he said. “If Nigeria transforms, Africa will become truly independent. This is why former colonial powers still fear us and interfere in different ways.”

On President Bola Tinubu’s policies, Gagdi particularly commended the removal of fuel subsidy, noting that it has increased monthly allocations to states.

“Before subsidy removal, some states received about ₦4 billion monthly. Today, they collect between ₦8 billion and ₦10 billion.”

“Why is nobody questioning what governors are doing with this money?” he asked, urging Nigerians to hold state governments more accountable rather than blaming the presidency alone.

He maintained that the funds released by the federal government must be properly monitored at the state level to ensure real impact on citizens.