BY SEGUN ADEBAYO, ABUJA – President Mohammadu Buhari and the All Progressives Congress (APC) leader, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Thursday insisted the governing Party is on a rescue mission to save Nigeria from the wreckage of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)’s years in power.
The President, who is on a two-day official visit to Lagos State, said his administration remains committed to implement people-oriented programmes to re-kindle hope and improve the living standards of Nigerians.
According to him, “Our goal is to bring everybody together for mutually beneficial ethnic, economic, social, religion, political and cultural relationship. We are determined to invest in people because we depend on people to govern.”
Speaking at the 10th Bola Tinubu Colloquium and 66th birthday celebration in Lagos, the President, who also commissioned the Ikeja Bus Terminal designed to hold about 200,000 passengers daily, said government would continue to invest in social programmes, including school feeding and agriculture, towards the overall well-being of all Nigerians.
“We have set Nigeria on irreversible path of growth and development. We are resolute to uplift our people and make Nigeria a better place,” the President said
President Buhari applauded Asiwaju Tinubu for his contributions to nation building and described him as a true leader of men and patriot committed to progressives ideas and human capacity development.
Also speaking at the occasion, Asiwaju Tinubu admitted that the current situation in the country presents an interesting time with challenges but said no efforts would be spared to ensure that Nigerians have every cause to smile soon
He acknowledged that there is no nation without its challenges and assured that these challenges would be surmounted because the Buhari Presidency is focused on fighting corruption and terrorism while also demonstrating its commitment to the country’s economic revival.
The former Lagos State Governor, who appreciated President Buhari, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, governors, legislators, industrialists, traditional rulers, and political associates for celebrating him, noted that government’s investment on the citizenry remains top priority and the result is fast becoming a reality.
“I can see what the government is doing with the little it has. They are diversifying in practical terms to get our country out of corruption and poverty”, he said.
Also taking a swipe at the opposition PDP, Chief Tinubu, who assured Nigerians that President Buhari is working hard towards prosperity and banishment of poverty said: “They say we should not talk about the past. If we do not talk of about it, what else can we talk about? You looted and wasted our resources.’’
“Then what is the lesson to all Nigerians if we do not talk about it. We will keep talking about it”, he stated, adding that the PDP, as the former ruling party, wasted the nation’s resources when oil production and sale were at maximum.
The APC chieftain insisted that there is a huge difference between the PDP’s administration and APC, just as he thanked Nigerians for their patient with the Buhari administration that has saved the nation’s ship from wreckage.
He further stated thus; “We are re-directing Nigeria. We have a nation to rescue and thank God we have a good leader to emulate”, and stressed the need for the private sector to introduce credit system in the economy to discourage corruption.
