President Bola Tinubu has assured Nigerians that they can look forward to the economy bouncing back to its former glory by December 2024.
Additionally, he urged for a unified effort and enhanced cooperation among the Federal Government, state governors, and members of the National Assembly to accomplish national development objectives.
“Our economy has turned the corner. In the coming months, the economy will roar back to glory. By December, I hope we will have cause to celebrate,” Tinubu said when he received state governors and the leadership of the National Assembly, who paid him a courtesy visit in Lagos on Friday.
The President’s Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Ajuri Ngelale, disclosed details of Friday’s talks in a statement titled ‘President Tinubu to governors and national assembly leadership: let us unite to make Nigeria greater.’
Vice-President Kashim Shettima, representing the President, voiced confidence in Nigeria’s economic resurgence and advocated for unified efforts to propel the nation’s progress.
“Let us unite, rally around our leader, and catapult this nation to a greater pedestal. By December, I hope we will have a reason to celebrate. Let us coalesce to take the nation to a greater pedestal,” Shettima said.
He cited the assembly of 27 governors, the NASS leadership, and some former governors in Lagos as a testament to Tinubu’s role as a unifying leader transcending ethnic and religious lines.
“This gathering cuts across ethnic, religious, and political lines. Here, we have Pastor Eno of Akwa Ibom and Father Hyacinth of Benue, and as the President was seated, he was asking, ‘Where is Wammako, where is Yari’?
“That is the hallmark of true leadership. What binds us together supersedes whatever it is that may divide us,” the Vice-President said.
Senate President Akpabio praised state governors for listening to diverse voices and consulting across political affiliations, a trait that, he said, mirrors President Tinubu’s leadership style.
Akpabio, who voiced support for a second term for the president, affirmed that Tinubu enjoys the support of a broad base of Nigerians across political divides.
He prayed, “As you coast home to victory for a second term, may all the governors seated here also coast home to a second-term victory in their states.”
Read also: ‘Believe In My Govt, Support Us,’ Tinubu Appeals To Nigerians
In his remarks, the Chairman of the Nigeria Governors Forum, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq of Kwara State, expressed support for the 700-kilometre Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, describing it as a huge project that will significantly impact the nation when completed.
He referenced the stabilization of the exchange rate and the diminishing food prices as components of Tinubu’s strategies to stabilize the economy and enhance the quality of life for Nigerians.
AbdulRazaq credited these advancements to the President’s initiatives and commended the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare for allocating funds to support 8,800 primary healthcare centers.
“We commend your efforts because the ship is gradually turning. We have seen how the exchange rate of the naira against the dollar is coming down.
“The cost of food is coming down. The dry season harvest is commencing soon.
“Things are getting better, and there is light at the end of the tunnel,” the governor said.
Therefore, he urged President Tinubu to persevere towards achieving economic stability. The governor also thanked the Federal Government for the support given to states, especially in distributing grains to alleviate food shortages.
He said, “We are here to support you, and we also thank you for the support that you are giving to the sub-nationals. Trucks are wheeling up across the nation, distributing grains. I have received, and most of the states have.
“Because of what you are doing, those who are hoarding food items are releasing them, and that is why the prices of food are coming down.”