President Bola Tinubu has pledged to place Nigeria on an “irreversible path of economic expansion and democratic consolidation” if granted another four years in office.
Speaking in Abuja on Sunday after winning the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential primary, Tinubu defeated his sole challenger, businessman and APC chieftain Stanley Osifo, with 10,999,162 votes against Osifo’s 16,503. The results were announced by Senator Pius Anyim, Chairman of the APC Presidential Primaries Election Committee.
After receiving the party’s flag and certificate of return from APC National Chairman Nentawe Yilwatda, Tinubu thanked party members for their support and renewed his commitment to national development.
“In accepting this nomination, I renew my commitment to serve our nation with even greater determination. With another four years of discipline, focus, and national cooperation, we will firmly place Nigeria on an irreversible path of economic expansion, industrialisation, energy security, infrastructural development, food sovereignty, and democratic consolidation,” Tinubu said.
‘I Asked for This Job’
Acknowledging the economic hardship Nigerians have faced since his administration’s reforms—including fuel subsidy removal and foreign exchange restructuring in 2023—Tinubu said:
“You have given me the encouragement. Sometimes it is difficult, and I share the pain with you. I know what it is to reform an economy that was in tatters. If you lost sleep, I lost some too. If you have lost weight, I think I have lost some too. But I have always remembered one thing: in 2022, I asked for this job, you all supported me, and I got it, so I must do it.”
Reform Highlights
Tinubu pointed to several initiatives under his administration:
- Student loan scheme: Over ₦282 billion disbursed to 1.5 million beneficiaries.
- Tax reforms: Measures aimed at broadening Nigeria’s revenue base.
- Infrastructure projects: Ongoing investments in roads, energy, and transport.
He pledged to strengthen electricity supply, expand opportunities for young Nigerians, and support businesses nationwide ahead of the 2027 election.
Security and Democracy
Reaffirming his commitment to national security, Tinubu promised intensified efforts against banditry and other criminal activities. He also urged Nigerians not to become “complacent” or allow politicians without “clear alternative visions” to derail progress, stressing that the forthcoming election must serve as “a reaffirmation of Nigeria’s democratic maturity.”
