- says I don’t regret signing NELFUND into law
- City Boy Movement targets 10 million youth votes
President Bola Tinubu has defended his decision to remove the petrol subsidy, declaring that Nigeria cannot return to what he described as a failed economic path, in an apparent response to former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar’s call for the restoration of the subsidy.
Tinubu, who said his administration inherited an economy facing serious financial challenges, insisted that reversing the reforms would amount to taking the country backwards, urging Nigerians to scrutinise the promises of opposition politicians rather than embrace what he described as impractical solutions.
The President spoke on Monday at An Evening with the Original City Boy, an event organised by the City Boy Movement, led by Seyi Tinubu, where he addressed youth supporters and mobilisers ahead of the 2027 general election.
Although he did not mention Atiku by name in the relevant portion of his address, Tinubu challenged his political opponents to explain how their proposed policies would address the country’s economic difficulties, maintaining that difficult decisions were necessary to prevent a deeper crisis.
“I took difficult decisions from the first day of this administration because I believed Nigeria could not continue on its previous path. We must not allow the country to go backwards,” he said.
“You will hear our political opponents making promises, but you must examine those promises carefully and ask whether they offer practical solutions to the challenges facing Nigerians.”
The President’s remarks came amid continuing debate over the economic consequences of subsidy removal, which has contributed to higher transport and living costs for many households, even as the Federal Government maintains that the reforms are necessary to stabilise public finances and redirect resources towards development.
Tinubu told the gathering that his administration had confronted serious economic difficulties when it assumed office on May 29, 2023, including pressure on government finances and obligations that the country struggled to meet.
“When we took office, we faced serious economic challenges. We were struggling to meet some of our obligations, including payments to airlines. Almost everything in Nigeria depends on transportation. Our national carrier and the aviation sector faced difficulties,” he said.
“We could not simply continue printing money as though that were a sustainable solution.”
The President acknowledged that the reforms had come with difficult consequences, but argued that leadership required accepting responsibility for decisions taken in the national interest.
“Looking back, I have learnt important lessons from the challenges of the past. The first lesson is that leadership requires taking responsibility for the consequences of one’s decisions,” he said.
He also recalled predictions that young Nigerians would abandon his administration because of the economic hardship associated with its policies, arguing that the large turnout of supporters at the event demonstrated that such expectations had been misplaced.
“I remember the predictions that young people would turn their backs on our reforms. Those who made such predictions were wrong. You are here, demonstrating your faith in the promise of a better Nigeria,” Tinubu said.
In making the case for perseverance, the President drew parallels with the biblical and Quranic accounts of Moses and Musa, respectively, saying the journey towards freedom and progress often required confronting difficult circumstances before reaching a better destination.
“Our history teaches us that great journeys require faith, courage and perseverance. The story of Moses (Bible) and Musa (Koran) remind us that the path to freedom and progress often involves confronting difficult circumstances before reaching a better destination,” he said.
Tinubu urged the youth movement to take his administration’s message to campuses, markets, motor parks, workplaces and communities, insisting that the 2027 election would be about more than his personal political ambition.
“You must go to your campuses, your markets, your communities and your places of work. Engage every young person you know. Whether they hold a PhD or have no formal qualifications, speak to them about what we have done and what we intend to do,” he said.
“Explain our policies. Present the facts. Compare our record and our plans with those of our opponents.”
Tinubu said the future of Nigeria belonged to younger generations and maintained that his administration had taken steps to expand their access to education, credit and opportunities in government.
He disclosed that more than one million students had benefited from support through the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND), while his government was also creating opportunities for young Nigerians to obtain credit to acquire equipment and other assets that could improve their livelihoods.
“Today, more than one million students have benefited from support through the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND),” he said.
“We are also creating opportunities for young Nigerians to access credit and acquire the tools they need to improve their lives.”
He added that he had deliberately entrusted young people with responsibilities in government and intended to do more, arguing that those who would live longest with the consequences of present-day decisions should have a role in shaping them.
“I have entrusted young people with real responsibilities in this government, and I have watched them deliver. I intend to do even more because those who will live longest with the consequences of today’s decisions must have a role in shaping them,” he said.
The President commended the City Boy Movement for building a grassroots political structure extending across states, local government areas and wards, describing its activities as more substantial than the mere gathering of supporters.
“You have not merely gathered people; you have built an organisation. You have established a presence across the states, local government areas and wards, extending to the polling-unit level,” he said.
“That is more than noise. That is organisation. That is effective grassroots mobilisation. That is the kind of seriousness our country needs.”
Tinubu assured members of the movement that their contributions would be recognised, telling them they would not be excluded from his political campaign, government or plans for the country.
“I therefore assure you that you will not be left behind—not in this campaign, not in this government and not in the Nigeria we are building together,” he said.
“Nigeria belongs to all of us, and its future belongs to you.”
He said the commitment displayed by the young supporters had strengthened his confidence as the country approached the next presidential election, adding that they were campaigning for their own future as much as for his re-election.
“You are not simply campaigning for me. You are campaigning for your own future,” he said.
Tinubu also cited the recurring disruption of university academic calendars as an area his administration was working to address, insisting that students should be able to complete their courses within the prescribed period.
“I promised to address the recurring disruption of academic calendars caused by strikes in our universities. A four-year university course should take four years. We have continued to work towards that objective,” he said.
Shettima: Tinubu’s reforms saved Nigeria from economic calamity
Vice-President Kashim Shettima mounted a strong defence of the administration’s economic policies, arguing that Tinubu’s decision to pursue structural reforms had prevented a more severe economic collapse.
Shettima said Nigeria was in a precarious financial position when Tinubu assumed office, citing foreign reserves of $3.9 billion and a debt of ₦27 trillion associated with the Central Bank’s Ways and Means advances.
“When the President assumed the mantle of leadership on 29 May 2023, the country, the economy was teetering on the brink of collapse. We had a paltry $3.9 billion in our foreign reserves, and a debt of over half of Ways and Means of ₦27 trillion,” he said.
The Vice-President said Tinubu had chosen to accept responsibility for the country’s inherited economic challenges rather than blame his predecessor, former President Muhammadu Buhari.
“The President is an honourable man. Instead of resorting to name-calling, instead of heaping the blame on his predecessor, what the President said was that he had to inherit the assets and liabilities of his administration,” Shettima said.
He argued that the reforms had begun to yield results, citing economic growth, declining inflation and an increase in foreign reserves.
Shettima maintained that without the administration’s decisions, the economy would have deteriorated further.
“The President took those far-reaching decisions. He had the courage of conviction and the knowledge to take those decisions that repositioned the Nigerian economy,” he said.
He added that Nigerians had experienced difficult times but insisted that the consequences would have been worse if the government had postponed the reforms.
“Yes, Nigerians have gone through some tough times, but it could have been worse,” he said.
The Vice-President also promised further government interventions to address food prices and agricultural challenges, saying the administration was working on additional measures.
“In the coming weeks, the President will come up with robust responses to agricultural challenges, and prices of foodstuff will certainly come down,” he said.
Shettima urged young supporters to defend the administration with facts and engage political opponents on policy rather than resort to personal attacks.
He said Tinubu and Atiku had known each other for decades, recalling their political relationship and Tinubu’s role in supporting political alliances that helped shape Nigeria’s opposition politics.
Shettima, however, criticised what he described as a departure from the standards of political conduct in the exchanges involving the former Vice-President.
“Desperation is not insanity. There is honour even amongst politicians, and I believe that there is a minimal threshold below which, even as politicians, we should not fall,” he said.
He urged the youth movement to engage in issue-based discussions, adding that political opponents should not automatically be treated as enemies.
“They are not our enemies. They are our co-travellers in national rebuilding,” he said.
Abbas: Tinubu’s supporters must audit government, not run a fan club
Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, urged the City Boy Movement to go beyond political mobilisation and establish a system through which Nigerians could independently assess the performance of the Tinubu administration and other public officials.
Abbas said the movement should not become a platform for praising the President without examining the impact of government policies on ordinary citizens.
“This must not be a celebration; it must be an audit,” he said.
He called for the documentation of government budgets, projects, implementation records and outcomes to enable Nigerians to determine whether public officials were delivering on their promises.
“A political movement must not become a fan club. Leadership must be judged by performance, not by the number of people who celebrate the leader,” the Speaker said.
According to him, the platform should incorporate the records of presidents, ministers, governors, legislators, local government chairmen and political appointees to make their performance accessible to the public.
He also urged the movement to use artificial intelligence and policy analysis to improve the presentation of government information, while ensuring that women and persons with disabilities were adequately represented in the democratic process.
Abbas said political supporters should be able to demonstrate how government programmes had improved the lives of citizens rather than relying on slogans or displays of loyalty.
“Carrying the President’s portrait or celebrating his leadership is not enough,” he said.
He urged the movement to establish a practical framework for measuring performance, adding that public officials must be held accountable for the resources entrusted to them.
The Speaker also called for greater inclusion of women and persons with disabilities in the democratic process, saying citizens must have access to reliable information to assess the performance of elected and appointed officials.
Barau: Use AI to expose opposition’s records, explain cost-of-living crisis
Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin commended the City Boy Movement for using technology and artificial intelligence to document the administration’s programmes, describing its presentation as an impressive effort to communicate government achievements.
“I believe there is no other political organisation in this country doing what you are doing. This organisation is not only human-driven; it is also technology-driven and AI-driven,” he said.
Barau urged the movement to incorporate Tinubu’s political philosophy and personal history into its AI-generated content to help young Nigerians understand the President’s approach to leadership and governance.
He also called for a question-and-answer component that would enable users to examine the records of opposition politicians and compare their past performance in public office with their current campaign promises.
“This will enable people who engage with your technological platform to understand the issues and make informed decisions. We must ensure that Nigerians are not misled by false promises or carried away by prevailing political narratives,” he said.
The deputy Senate president further urged the movement to explain how international conflicts and geopolitical tensions had affected energy prices and the cost of living, arguing that Nigeria could not be insulated from global economic developments.
He cited the Russia-Ukraine war, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and tensions involving Iran and the United States as examples of international developments with implications for energy costs and household expenses.
Barau said the platform should provide context for understanding the economic challenges facing Nigerians and the government’s responses to them.
City Boy Movement targets 10 million youth votes
Director-General of the City Boy Movement, Francis Shoga, said the organisation was committed to mobilising at least 10 million youth votes for Tinubu in the January 2027 presidential election.
Shoga said the movement had registered 4.6 million members on its national database and was expanding its grassroots structures across the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory.
“Mr President, on behalf of the City Boy Movement, I assure Your Excellency that we are mobilising with discipline, organising with purpose, and working with determination,” he said.
“We are committed to delivering a minimum of 10 million Nigerian youth votes in January 2027 in support of the Renewed Hope Agenda.”
He said the movement had engaged more than 50,000 young Nigerians through its Renewed Hope Youth Tour and was building structures across the country’s 774 local government areas, wards and polling units.
Shoga said the organisation’s activities included town hall meetings, campus engagements, house-to-house outreach, market visits and social media campaigns aimed at communicating the administration’s policies and encouraging youth participation.
He also appealed to Tinubu to create more opportunities for qualified and competent young people to serve in government, saying the movement was prepared to contribute its organisational capacity to national development.
Minister of Youth Development, Ayodele Olawande, said the movement was ready to take the administration’s message to communities across the country.
He described the gathering as an opportunity for young Nigerians to engage with a leader they believed had provided them with a voice in governance.
Olawande also credited Tinubu with supporting younger political leaders, arguing that the President’s involvement in youth development had helped create a legacy of leadership.
Meanwhile, the Director-General of the Relax, Tinubu Is Fixing Nigeria (RTIFN) group, Ahmed Bala, said his organisation had documented more than 340 achievements of the administration across different sectors and was distributing information materials in tertiary institutions.
Bala also claimed that the group had built a membership of over three million within two weeks, saying it intended to strengthen its structures and promote voter education ahead of the election.
The event brought together senior government officials, lawmakers, youth leaders and supporters of the President as the ruling All Progressives Congress intensified preparations for the 2027 election.
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