GIVE US MORE TIME” TINUBU SAYS HIS GOVERNMENT IS CORRECTING PAST MISTAKES AND WANTS TO “FINISH THE GOOD WORK

President Bola Tinubu has appealed to Nigerians to give his administration more time to continue its reforms, arguing that his government is correcting what he described as accumulated mistakes and missed opportunities from previous administrations.

Tinubu’s message was delivered on Friday by Speaker of the House of Representatives Tajudeen Abbas during a special Juma’at prayer at the National Mosque in Abuja ahead of Nigeria’s 66th Independence Anniversary.

The President said Nigerians should remain hopeful about the country’s future despite the economic and social difficulties many citizens have experienced.

Reflecting on Nigeria’s journey since independence in 1960, Tinubu described the country’s record as mixed, with periods of significant challenges as well as opportunities.

He said Nigeria’s 66th anniversary represented a country that had reached maturity and should reflect on both the problems and opportunities that have shaped its history.

Tinubu’s central message was that Nigerians should not give up on the country.

“Peace is coming back to this country. Development is coming back to this country. Things will get better as we progress in this democracy,” Abbas said while conveying the President’s message.

The President also sought to frame his administration’s reforms as an attempt to address longstanding structural problems rather than challenges created exclusively during his time in office.

According to Tinubu, the government is addressing what he described as the cumulative mistakes and missed opportunities of previous administrations.

He maintained that Nigeria was moving in the right direction and that the sacrifices Nigerians have endured would eventually produce improvements.

Tinubu said there was “light at the end of the tunnel” and argued that Nigerians had already made significant sacrifices for the country to become prosperous again.

The President then appealed for his administration to be given another opportunity to continue its programmes.

“We should give this government more opportunity for it to come back and finish the good work,” Tinubu said in the message delivered by Abbas.

The remarks come at a politically significant period as attention increasingly turns towards Nigeria’s 2027 general election.

Tinubu, who took office in May 2023, has defended a series of major economic reforms introduced by his administration.

His government removed the long-standing petrol subsidy shortly after taking office and introduced major changes to Nigeria’s foreign exchange system.

The administration has argued that the reforms were necessary to address structural weaknesses in the economy and put public finances on a more sustainable footing.

However, Nigerians have also experienced substantial increases in living costs during the reform period.

Food, transportation, housing and energy costs have placed considerable pressure on households, while inflation and currency depreciation have affected purchasing power.

The government has responded with interventions including wage adjustments, social programmes, infrastructure spending and other measures intended to reduce the impact of the reforms.

Tinubu’s administration maintains that the most difficult phase of the economic adjustment is giving way to greater stability and growth.

Opposition parties and government critics, however, continue to challenge that assessment and argue that many households have yet to feel sufficient improvement in their daily living conditions.

Tinubu’s latest comments therefore carry both economic and political significance.

By describing current challenges partly as the product of accumulated mistakes and missed opportunities, the President is presenting his administration as attempting to repair problems that developed over successive governments.

At the same time, his request for another opportunity to “finish the good work” places the government’s record and its reform programme firmly within the emerging political conversation ahead of 2027.

The President insisted that Nigerians should judge the direction of the administration and remain optimistic about the country’s prospects.

Senior government officials attended the special prayer session, including Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin, governors, federal lawmakers, ministers, Secretary to the Government of the Federation George Akume and senior military officials.

The prayer was part of activities ahead of Nigeria’s 66th Independence Anniversary on October 1.

The Federal Government has said this year’s celebrations will be held on a low-key basis, with religious and civic activities culminating in a nationwide presidential broadcast on Independence Day.

Tinubu’s message ahead of that anniversary is clear: his administration believes Nigeria is moving in the right direction and wants more time to complete its reform agenda.

Whether Nigerians agree with that assessment will remain an important part of the country’s political debate as the 2027 election approaches.