President Bola Tinubu has revealed how he worked hard to become Nigeria’s President.
He says he faced many challenges before reaching his ambition.
It was reported that Tinubu made this known on Friday when he hosted 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 took the bullet instead of dodging 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 hard. It was hard on the people who were with me. Some kept the faith.
“I chose to put in the effort to campaign. I told no one what I was going to do. “He said, ‘Many of you took the risk and went ahead with me because of the party platform and everything.
Tinubu, meanwhile, said the removal of fuel subsidy stopped 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, while speaking at the gathering, said that the subsidy removal caused hardship to many Nigerians but insisted that the decision was necessary to salvage the country’s finances.
It was tough then, but we survived. We were sued and accused. We made it through. Nigeria has survived instead of bankruptcy. 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 urged 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 that followed the reforms. He said the hard time is slowly yielding 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.
The President commended state governors for backing federal government policies and assisting in ensuring stability throughout the country.
I’m happy governors are not borrowing from the federal government and asking for interventions and not knowing how to survive, how to pay salaries. “You kept the spirit and you persuaded our people to be patient and to endure these three years of painful reform,” he said.
Tinubu said critical economic indicators have improved while road construction and rehabilitation projects across the country are ongoing.
“The economy has come back. Macroeconomic indicators are performing 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. “Agriculture will prosper 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.
