Vice President Kashim Shettima has defended President Bola Tinubu’s economic decisions, saying it has spared Nigeria a deeper crisis that further delays in implementing critical reforms would have caused.
Shettima said this on Monday while addressing leaders and members of the City Boy Movement at the State House Conference Hall in Abuja.
He acknowledged the economic pressures Nigerians have endured, stressing that their sacrifices must translate into better livelihoods, more opportunities and improved living conditions.
The vice president said the administration had demonstrated the courage to address structural weaknesses rather than postpone difficult decisions.
“What distinguishes this administration from its predecessors is our refusal to pay lip service to the structural reforms Nigeria needs.
“We owe that resolve to the visionary, audacious, tenacious, sagacious architect of our renewal, His Excellency, President Bola Tinubu.
“His courage has drawn Nigeria back from the edge of an economic calamity that continued delay would have made inevitable,” he said.
Shettima maintained that Tinubu understood the consequences of postponing necessary reforms.
The vice president, however, acknowledged the hardship associated with the implementation of those reforms.
“We recognise the pressures Nigerians have endured, and our obligation is to ensure that their sacrifices yield better livelihoods.
“We must earn that patience by listening attentively, correcting what fails and measuring progress against the daily experience of households,” he added.
The vice president also credited Tinubu’s inclusive leadership with strengthening political cooperation and accommodating diverse interests.
“Beyond the science of developing solutions, governance is also the art of managing people.
“The All Progressives Congress (APC) has become a template for unifying diverse groups, because Mr President understands the calculus of inclusion.
“He listens to those who disagree with him, recognises talent beyond familiar circles, and gives competing interests a stake in shared success,” he also said.
On the City Boy Movement, Shettima said its members had helped explain government policies, counter misinformation and encourage issue-based political engagement.
“Thanks to you, we lead in issue-based politics; policies find interpreters in communities far beyond the reach of official statements; falsehood encounters resistance; difficult decisions receive a patient hearing, and the distance between government and the governed continues to narrow,” he said.
He further described Tinubu as a leader whose development vision extended beyond electoral cycles.
Shettima cited his support for the development of reclaimed land along the Atlantic coastline as an example of long-term planning.
“He thinks beyond the calendar of an administration. He treats the future as a responsibility owed to those who cannot yet vote, plans for citizens yet unborn, industries yet to be established, and possibilities that timid minds dismiss before examining them,” he added.
Shettima described the involvement of young Nigerians in governance and political advocacy as vital to the country’s democratic future.
“Your participation in politics and governance gives us confidence that the next generation will inherit the responsibilities of citizenship with conviction.
“We owe your faith an honest account of our stewardship and a country in which your talents can flourish,” he said.
He urged members of the movement to sustain their commitment to national unity and responsible political engagement, while appreciating them for their continued support.
NAN
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