President Bola Tinubu has appealed to Nigerians to give his administration more time to complete the programmes and reforms it has initiated, saying the government is working to address longstanding challenges.
Tinubu made the appeal on Friday during a special Juma’at prayer at the National Mosque in Abuja as part of activities marking Nigeria’s 66th Independence Anniversary. The President was represented at the event by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas.
Abbas conveyed the President’s message to Nigerians, describing the country’s 66 years since independence as a journey marked by both challenges and opportunities.
He said, “This anniversary, the 66th, by all accounts signifies Nigeria has come of age. The person of 66 years cannot be called a child anymore. Nigeria has become mature, even though when we reflect on the journey from independence to date, we may say it was a mixed journey.
“Nigeria was bedevilled with a lot of issues in the past and opportunities as well. But we thank Almighty Allah for granting us the life and the peace for us to witness this very historic event today.”
The President urged Nigerians not to lose hope in the country’s future, saying his administration’s ongoing reforms would bring improvements in peace, development and economic conditions.
“My message to the country on behalf of the Mr President, the Senate President and all members of the National Assembly is that the citizens should not lose hope.
“Peace is coming back to this country. Development is coming back to this country. Things will get better as we progress in this democracy,” he said.
Tinubu also said his administration was addressing what he described as cumulative mistakes and missed opportunities from previous governments, while urging citizens to consider the direction of the government’s policies.
“More importantly, citizens should look at the focus of the government of today, that the mistakes of the past—the cumulative mistakes and the missed opportunities of the past—are being corrected in this particular administration.
“And I want to categorically make it clear that Nigeria is on the right path; that there is light at the end of the tunnel, and that Nigerians have finished making sacrifices for this country to be great again.
“We should give this government more opportunity for it to come back and finish the good work,” he said.
The remarks come as the Federal Government continues to highlight its ongoing reform agenda ahead of Nigeria’s 66th Independence Anniversary. The government has also said the anniversary provides an opportunity to reflect on the country’s journey since independence and the administration’s reform initiatives.
