President Bola Tinubu has narrated how he worked hard to become Nigeria’s President.

He says he encountered many difficulties before reaching his ambition.

This was disclosed by Tinubu on Friday when he received members of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum led by Vice President Kashim Shettima on a Sallah homage at his Lagos residence.

He thanked some governors that started the journey with him, commending them for their patience and resilience.

I didn’t duck the bullet. I accepted it. I get a punch in the chin. Very hard one.

“We were together when I was faced with the challenge of trying to become the president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

It was very difficult. It was hard on the people with me. Some remained loyal.

“I chose to put in the effort to campaign. I told no one what I was going to do. “A lot of you took the risk and went ahead with me because of the party platform and everything,” he said.

Meanwhile, Tinubu said the removal of fuel subsidy prevented Nigeria from going bankrupt and helped to put the country on the path to economic recovery.

It was reported that Tinubu spoke when he hosted state governors who visited him to mark the Eid-el-Kabir festival and the third anniversary of his administration on Friday.

Governors of Lagos, Nasarawa, Jigawa, Sokoto, Kebbi, Taraba, Niger, Ekiti, Delta, Ondo, Edo, Adamawa, Benue, Enugu, Ogun and Kogi states were at the meeting. The deputy governors of Borno and Kano also attended.

The President, who spoke at the gathering, said the removal of subsidy had brought hardship to many Nigerians but insisted that the decision was necessary to save the country’s finances.

It was hard then, but we got through it. We were sued. We were accused. We got through it. It is bankruptcy that Nigeria has remained. The economy is recovering. It is rising. “Agriculture is booming,” Tinubu said.

He said the country was beginning to see the benefits of reforms introduced in the past three years. The President cited ongoing infrastructure projects and opportunities in agriculture as signs of improvement.

Many of you have survived and you have encouraged many of our people to persevere, to trust this government. “Thank you very much,” he told the governors.

Tinubu also thanked Nigerians for their patience in the face of the economic challenges trailing the reforms. He said the difficult period is slowly giving way to positive results.

Reforms in infrastructure, agriculture, social investment programmes, foreign exchange management and fiscal policies are helping to rebuild investor confidence and improve economic prospects, he said.

President lauded state governors for backing federal government policies and helping to ensure stability across the country.

I’m glad governors are not borrowing from the federal government and begging for interventions and not knowing how to survive, how to pay salaries. “You kept the spirit and you convinced our people to be patient and to bear these three years of painful reform,” he said.

“Critical economic indicators have improved and road construction and rehabilitation projects are ongoing across the country,” Tinubu said.

“The economy has come back. “Macroeconomic indicators are doing very well. “Roads and infrastructure are being built and abandoned projects have been rehabilitated,” he said.

He also expressed optimism on the future of the agricultural sector, saying Nigeria can achieve food security if available land resources are properly harnessed.

“The housing business is coming on very well. “Farming will flourish again. “If you use the land in your various states effectively, we will attain food sovereignty,” the President noted.

Tinubu assured Nigerians that his administration would continue to pursue policies to reduce hardship, create jobs, strengthen food production and promote economic growth that benefits more citizens.

The post ‘I Took A Bullet, Hard Punch To Become President’ – Tinubu appeared first on TheNigerian.

John Odigie-Oyegun, who used to be the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), believes that the African Democratic Congress (ADC) will win the 2027 general election.

Oyegun said this while speaking to party members at the national convention in Abuja.

He promised that the 2027 election would not be business as usual and that the party would take over Aso Rock.

“We’re ready to take over Aso Rock, and things won’t be the same as usual.”

“I want everyone to know that they keep saying that John, you were one of them,” Oyegun said.

The former governor of Edo State said it was sad that Nigeria has so many natural resources but its people are still having a hard time.

He said that the situation was a failure of leadership over the years.

“We are the biggest black country in the world.” He said, “God made that for a reason, but look at what we’ve done to it.”

He went on to say that the ADC leadership gives him new hope for change and that the party is ready to start what he called a national rescue mission.

He said, “And so I am so happy when I look at our chairman and the leaders around him and say, ‘Thank God we are ready for this fight and ready to move.'”

Oyegun said again that the party was ready to govern and that an ADC-led government would put accountability first and punish public officials who did wrong.

“So let’s not look back at the past as we go into this fight. Instead, let’s decide that every action someone takes must have a consequence from the day we take office.

He said, “If you do well, you are rewarded; if you do badly, the whole world must know you have done badly.”

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It is unjust for any Nigerian to evaluate President Tinubu based on sentiments exclusive to the region, according to Abubakar Bagudu, Minister of Budget and Economic Planning.

When answering questions during an interview on Arise Television’s “Morning Show” on Wednesday, the minister made this statement.

He asserts that the reforms implemented by President Tinubu are inclusive of the North and transformative.

“The President’s approach to national life has always been nationalistic,” he remarked.

We pray that all of the steps we are doing will enable us to cross the port line, as we are aware that Nigeria is plagued by numerous fault lines.

“Any Nigerian should not evaluate President Tinubu based on sentiments exclusive to their region. To govern, President Tinubu has always taken a nationalist stance.

The fact that President Tinubu has a history of backing Northern politicians—including President Buhari, Yar’Adua, Atiku, and Nuhu Ribadu—is evident to all.

In every region of Nigeria, President Tinubu’s reforms have been advantageous. “President Tinubu is implementing revolutionary projects throughout Nigeria,” he stated.

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Phrank Shaibu, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar’s Senior Special Assistant on Public Communications, has criticized the administration for announcing and then rescinding Usman Dakingari’s nomination as Nigeria’s ambassador to Turkey.

According to reports, Shaibu criticized the administration for failing to offer an official explanation of the problem in a post on 𝕏.

Atiku’s assistant went on to characterize the event as the present administration’s eleventh public reversal, claiming that such acts are disrespectful to public institutions and cause confusion and doubt.

Additionally, he recalled instances in the past where living appointees were humiliated by abrupt reversals while deceased people were publicized as appointed to positions.

Shaibu emphasizes that administration should not be viewed like a social media post that can be removed without consequence, saying that a government that is unable to monitor its own pronouncements cannot be trusted to lead a nation.

Additionally, he charged that rather than concentrating on efficient governance, the administration was fixated on former vice president Atiku Abubakar and Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi in 2023.

“They’ve appointed the dead before,” he wrote. They now designated Dakingari as an ambassador, but they abruptly revoked it before lunch at “Iya Oyo.” It was announced that Usman Dakingari would serve as Turkey’s ambassador. A few minutes later, there was never an appointment. This is the administration’s eleventh public reversal. Eleven instances of institutional disrespect, misunderstanding, and uncertainty

“The presidency is fixated on @atiku and @PeterObi rather than basic competence, while Nigerians struggle.” A nation cannot be governed by a government that is unable to monitor its own announcements.

@aonanuga1956 Governance is not something that can be easily removed like a WhatsApp broadcast. Governments that are serious give an explanation. Reputable governments confirm nominations before making them public. Serious governments don’t wake up, humiliate living appointments, and then act as if nothing had occurred.

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Datti Baba-Ahmed, a former Labour Party (LP) vice presidential candidate in the 2023 general elections, has announced his plan to compete for president in the 2027 general elections.
At a rally at the party’s national secretariat in Abuja, he expressed his interest.

Just one week has passed since former presidential candidate Peter Obi declared he was leaving the Labour Party to join the African Democratic Congress (ADC).

Speaking to party members and supporters, Baba-Ahmed stated that his desire to become president predated the 2023 election and was neither reactionary nor dependent on Obi’s political choices.

“I’ve declared my intention to run for office in 2027. I’m not going to follow anyone’s path or put myself in their position.

“May I just remind you that I ran for president before His Excellency Governor Peter Obi? “You can view the records,” he stated.

In the meantime, the Labour Party, led by Julius Abure, has downplayed worries about the exit of Peter Obi, its 2023 presidential candidate, maintaining that the party is still powerful and able to successfully compete in the general elections of 2027.

According to Abure, “we had laundered the image of our party with several people of influence coming to us to say they want to join, some actually joined.”

“Alex Otti, the governor of Abia State, recently told the world that he joined the party before Peter Obi did, and this is true,” he continued.

The LP chairman revealed that Governor Otti had stated that he would not defect with Obi, a move he saw as more evidence of the party’s stability.

According to Abure, “he also said he was not going to defect with Peter Obi.”

At a party event on Wednesday at the Labour Party’s National Headquarters in Abuja, where party leaders and supporters gathered to reaffirm their commitment to the program, Abure reportedly made this statement.

Speaking to supporters of the party, Abure acknowledged Obi’s contribution to the party’s win in the 2023 elections but advised against blaming his influence alone.

He claims that the Labour Party’s expansion was fueled by internal changes and group efforts before Obi joined the party.

Recounting what happened when Obi defected, Abure said that Datti Baba-Ahmed, the party’s 2023 vice presidential candidate, called him and reiterated his commitment to the party.

“Our Vice-Presidential candidate in the 2023 elections, Dr. Datti Baba-Ahmed, called me the night Peter Obi defected,” he stated.

According to Abure, Baba-Ahmed assured him that he would stay in the Labour Party as it was the platform that garnered millions of votes for the 2023 presidential ticket.

“He said he is not leaving the party because it was the platform on which he and the previous candidate received 10 million votes from Nigerians, which was reduced to six million votes; we all know what happened,” Abure continued.

He claims that Baba-Ahmed also proposed a meeting for reconciliation with senior party members, but subsequently consented to include grassroots followers.

The post I Have Made Myself Available – Datti Baba-Ahmed Declares Intention To Contest For Presidency appeared first on TheNigerian.

The Presidency has responded to mounting concerns from Labour Party leader Peter Obi and other political figures over President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s extended stay in France. In an official statement, the government reassured Nigerians that Tinubu remains actively involved in national governance.

Peter Obi had earlier voiced criticism over the president’s absence, particularly in light of the recent mass killings in Plateau and Benue States, which claimed over 100 lives. Obi argued that the President’s physical absence during such a critical period reflected poorly on leadership, calling for his immediate return.

However, the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, stated that President Tinubu’s stay abroad is part of a previously communicated two-week itinerary and is not affecting government operations.

“The President left Paris for London at the weekend and has maintained constant communication with key government officials,” Onanuga said in a statement.
“He continues to oversee critical national matters, including giving directives to security agencies to tackle recent threats in various parts of the country.”

Onanuga further explained that Tinubu’s leadership remains strong and uninterrupted, adding that his return to Abuja is scheduled after the Easter holiday. He stressed that the President’s commitment to national duties is unwavering, even while overseas.

“His administration continues to function effectively under his leadership,” he emphasized.
“The machinery of governance remains in motion.”

This response comes amid growing public concern about insecurity in Nigeria and questions over the federal government’s presence and accountability during crises.

The Presidency also appreciated Nigerians for their concern and reassured citizens that no leadership vacuum exists. According to Onanuga, Tinubu remains fully engaged with developments at home, particularly in addressing rising security threats and maintaining administrative oversight.

As Tinubu’s return is anticipated after the Easter break, citizens await further government actions to curb the increasing wave of insecurity and uphold governance responsibilities.

The post Presidency Responds to Peter Obi’s Criticism Over Tinubu’s France Stay, Assures Nigerians of Active Leadership appeared first on TheNigerian.