President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has pledged to place Nigeria on an “irreversible path of economic expansion and democratic consolidation” if given another four years in office.
Tinubu made the remarks on Sunday during his acceptance speech in Abuja after winning the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential primary.
The president defeated his only challenger, businessman and APC chieftain Stanley Osifo, polling 10,999,162 votes against Osifo’s 16,503 votes.
The results were announced by the Chairman of the APC Presidential Primaries Election Committee, Senator Pius Anyim.
Speaking after receiving the party’s flag and certificate of return from APC National Chairman Nentawe Yilwatda, Tinubu thanked party members for their support and renewed his commitment to national development.
“In accepting this nomination, I renew my commitment to serve our nation with even greater determination.
“With another four years of discipline, focus and national cooperation, we will firmly place Nigeria on an irreversible path of economic expansion, industrialisation, energy security, infrastructural development, food sovereignty and democratic consolidation,” Tinubu said.
The President also acknowledged the economic hardship experienced by Nigerians since the introduction of key reforms under his administration, including the removal of fuel subsidy and foreign exchange reforms introduced in 2023.
“You have given me the encouragement. Sometimes it is difficult, and I share the pain with you. I know what it is to reform an economy that was in tatters. If you lost sleep, I lost some too.
“If you have lost weight, I think I have lost some too. But I have always remembered one thing: in 2022, I asked for this job, you all supported me, and I got it, so I must do it,” he said.
President Tinubu highlighted several reforms implemented by his administration, including the student loan scheme, tax reforms, and infrastructure projects.
According to him, more than ₦282 billion has been disbursed to about 1.5 million beneficiaries under the student loan programme.
He also pledged to strengthen electricity supply and create more opportunities for young Nigerians and businesses across the country ahead of the 2027 election.
The president reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to security, promising intensified efforts against banditry and other criminal activities across the country.
President Tinubu also urged Nigerians not to become “complacent” or allow politicians without “clear alternative visions” to derail the country’s progress, noting that the forthcoming election must be “a reaffirmation of Nigeria’s democratic maturity”.
