Give me more time to finish reforms – Tinubu

FILE: President Bola Tinubu

President Bola Tinubu has appealed to Nigerians to give his administration another opportunity to complete the programmes and reforms it has embarked upon.

Tinubu made the appeal on Friday during a special Juma’at prayer at the National Mosque, Abuja, organised as part of activities marking Nigeria’s 66th Independence Anniversary.

The President, who was represented at the event by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, said his administration was correcting what he described as the mistakes and missed opportunities of previous governments.

Abbas conveyed Tinubu’s message to Nigerians, urging them not to lose hope in the country’s economic recovery and development.

He said, “This anniversary, the 66th, by all accounts signifies Nigeria has come of age. The person of 66 years cannot be called a child anymore. Nigeria has become mature, even though when we reflect on the journey from independence to date, we may say it was a mixed journey.

“Nigeria was bedevilled with a lot of issues in the past and opportunities as well. But we thank Almighty Allah for granting us the life and the peace for us to witness this very historic event today.”

The President urged Nigerians to remain hopeful, saying peace and development would return to the country as the administration’s reforms continued.

He said the government was addressing longstanding challenges and correcting what he described as cumulative mistakes and missed opportunities of previous administrations.

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“My message to the country on behalf of the Mr President, the Senate President and all members of the National Assembly is that the citizens should not lose hope.

“Peace is coming back to this country. Development is coming back to this country. Things will get better as we progress in this democracy,” he said.

Tinubu said Nigeria was on the right path and urged citizens to continue supporting his administration.

He added, “More importantly, citizens should look at the focus of the government of today, that the mistakes of the past—the cumulative mistakes and the missed opportunities of the past—are being corrected in this particular administration.

“And I want to categorically make it clear that Nigeria is on the right path; that there is light at the end of the tunnel, and that Nigerians have finished making sacrifices for this country to be great again.

“We should give this government more opportunity for it to come back and finish the good work.”

The 66th Independence Anniversary celebrations are being held on a low-key basis, with the Federal Government scheduling a series of religious and civic activities ahead of the October 1 anniversary.