President Bola Ahmed Tinubu belongs in the league of Africa’s transformational leaders, according to Director-General of the Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council (PEBEC), Princess Zahrah Mustapha Audu.
Audu made the assertion in a commentary published on Saturday, September 26, 2026, amid ongoing debate over Tinubu’s political record, personal history and the economic reforms implemented since he assumed office in May 2023.
She drew comparisons with historical African leaders including former South African President Nelson Mandela and former Ghanaian leader Jerry John Rawlings, while stressing that the comparison was about how political legacies evolve rather than an assertion that Tinubu is equivalent to either statesman.
Audu Defends Tinubu’s Political Record
Audu, who is also the National Publicity Secretary of the City Boy Movement, argued that controversies surrounding a political leader’s biography should not automatically erase documented political achievements.
She maintained that historical assessments should consider the institutions leaders build, changes they introduce and political transformations they drive.
According to her, questions surrounding Tinubu’s certificates and biography should be examined based on available evidence, but should not be used to dismiss his entire political career.
Audu also referenced Tinubu’s decades in Nigerian politics, including his time in the Senate, involvement in the pro-democracy struggle, tenure as Lagos State governor and role in opposition politics and the formation of the political coalition that produced the All Progressives Congress (APC).
She argued that Tinubu’s emergence as president followed decades of political alliances, electoral contests, negotiations and institution-building.
Tinubu’s Economic Reforms
A major part of Audu’s argument focused on the economic reforms introduced by the Tinubu administration, particularly the removal of the petrol subsidy and changes to the foreign-exchange regime.
She acknowledged that the policies have imposed significant economic pressure on Nigerians, including concerns around inflation, food insecurity and the cost of living.
However, she argued that the reforms should be assessed alongside their longer-term economic consequences rather than through their immediate social impact alone.
The International Monetary Fund (IMF), in its June 2026 Article IV assessment referenced by THISDAY, said Nigeria’s reforms had strengthened macroeconomic stability and resilience, while noting that conditions remained difficult for many Nigerians and calling for stronger social protection and further structural reforms.
Audu: History Will Judge Tinubu
Audu said political leaders should neither be treated as beyond criticism nor have every aspect of their careers dismissed because of controversy.
She argued that Tinubu’s biography, political achievements and the consequences of his administration should all be subjected to scrutiny based on evidence.
Her broader argument is that the historical assessment of Tinubu’s presidency will ultimately depend on the institutional, political and economic consequences of his tenure, rather than on one aspect of his biography.
Audu ultimately described Tinubu as “Nigeria’s greatest president to date,” a statement that represents her political assessment rather than an independently established historical fact.