President Bola Tinubu has pledged not to betray the trust Nigerians placed in him, maintaining that his administration’s economic reforms are designed to build a stronger and more prosperous future for the country.
Tinubu, speaking through Senate President Godswill Akpabio at the inauguration of the PBAT Door-to-Door Movement executives on Thursday, said the grassroots mobilisation initiative would help promote the Renewed Hope agenda nationwide.
In his inaugural address on May 29, 2023, the President declared that “subsidy is gone,” formally ending Nigeria’s petrol subsidy regime.
The announcement, alongside other key reforms such as the unification of the foreign exchange market, led to a significant increase in fuel prices, higher transportation costs, and a rise in the cost of goods and services nationwide.
More than three years later, the APC-led Federal Government has maintained that the funds saved from the subsidy removal have been invested in programmes designed to improve citizens’ welfare and drive national development, while insisting that its broader economic reforms are beginning to produce positive outcomes.
Akpabio said Tinubu’s reforms had improved Nigeria’s economy, noting that monthly allocations to the three tiers of government had risen from less than N700bn to over N2tn.
Speaking before political leaders, traditional rulers, civil society groups and other stakeholders, the President said his administration remained committed to strengthening the country despite the tough policy decisions taken since he assumed office.
“I am delighted to be here, to see what Nigerians are doing from their hearts for the development of the nation. I can see people interested in the future of the country,” the President said.
He added, “I am determined never to betray the trust of Nigerians and the vision of ensuring a better Nigeria.”
He stated, “Every great nation is built one citizen at a time, like a building block; one community at a time. Before there are crowds, there are households. Before there are victories at the ballot boxes, there are competitions at the doorsteps of every home.
“A movement that goes from door to door must do more than just seek support from every door it touches. It must carry truth, inspire confidence, listen to the people and household owners, and return to those same doors to tell them about the dividends of good governance after the goods. That is how democracies endure.
“The theme before us today speaks to one of the oldest truths in nation-building: every generation must decide whether it will choose the comfort of the familiar or the courage and discomfort of embracing necessary changes.
“Nations do not become great because they avoid difficult decisions. They become great because they confront difficulties with wisdom, patience, and patriotism.
“President Tinubu has repeatedly reminded us that reform is not an event, but a journey. The purpose of reform is not to make life difficult for the people, but to lay the foundation upon which future generations can build lives of greater dignity, prosperity, opportunities, and lasting progress. Lasting progress is rarely achieved without temporary sacrifice.”
Tinubu said all arms of government remained committed to supporting his administration’s reforms while prioritising Nigeria’s national interest and citizens’ welfare.
He continued, “Good governance succeeds when the executive, the legislature, and the Nigerian people move forward together. So we are working together to ensure that every Nigerian feels the impact of our reforms.
“Politics should never divide us beyond repair. Elections may produce winners and losers, but Nigeria must always emerge the ultimate victor.
“Our nation is greater than any political party. Nigeria is greater than any officeholder. Nigeria is greater than any election.
“We inherited this republic from those who toiled and built it before us, and we hold it in trust for those who will come after us. Many of them are in this hall. Let us therefore conduct ourselves in ways that future generations will remember with gratitude.”
Speaking to the executives of the movement, Tinubu said, “As you are inaugurated today, remember that you are ambassadors, not merely of a political movement, but of democratic engagement and process.
“Knock on every door with respect. Listen before you persist. Unite before you mobilise. Let every conversation strengthen faith in our democracy and confidence in Nigeria’s future.
“When politics is conducted with patriotism and service, every door opened becomes another gateway to national renewal. And every door leads to renewed hope for a greater Nigeria and, of course, a more prosperous nation.”
Akpabio, Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, and the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, Prof Nentawe Yilwatda, said reforms introduced by Tinubu were repositioning Nigeria and setting the country on the path of economic recovery.
They said the President’s policies, including fuel subsidy removal, tax reforms and other initiatives, were products of collaboration between the executive and legislature aimed at achieving national development.
Akpabio added that the reforms had strengthened states’ finances and reduced reliance on oil revenue, expressing confidence that Nigeria’s future would continue to improve under the current administration.
He stated, “We appreciate the President for putting on a thinking cap and turning Nigeria around in just three years. A nation that had less than N700bn is now sharing over N2tn monthly with the states and the Federal Government.
“And the governors here can confirm, particularly Governor (Umaru) Bago and Governor Dapo (Abiodun), that they no longer borrow money because we have been able to build a non-oil economy.
“We are no longer a mono-economy dependent on oil because of the thinking of this President. So, you can imagine supporting him beyond 2027. I can see a brighter future.
“I will end not from the voice of the President, but from the voice of the National Assembly. I can see everything turning around for our good.”
In his comment, Abbas praised the PBAT Door-to-Door Movement for taking a political engagement, highlighting Tinubu’s reforms at the grassroots, saying collaboration between the executive and legislature had produced policies aimed at repositioning Nigeria.
“You have chosen to take politics back to where it belongs, to the people and the Nigerian citizens.
“Door-to-door, street-to-street, ward-to-ward. In an age when engagement is often reduced to slogans, you have chosen conversation over confrontation and contact over commotion.
“Democracy is not an abstract concept. It lives in our compounds and our markets. It lives in our town halls and our places of worship. It lives in the daily conversations of ordinary Nigerians.
“Let me say it plainly and without flattery: history will remember this President for his courage. He met a nation at a crossroads and chose the path of conviction over convenience.
“The fuel subsidy was removed, the exchange rate was unified, and the tax system was reformed from the ground up through the reform acts that took effect in January this year.
“These are not decisions taken for applause. They were decisions taken for posterity.
“Yes, the road has demanded sacrifice, and we do not take that sacrifice lightly. But the early dividends are visible: rising revenues, returning confidence, and a fiscal system that rewards production, not consumption,” he said.
The Speaker said the government’s major reforms were achieved through collaboration between the executive and legislature, with key policies receiving legislative input and approval in line with the Constitution.
He continued, “Renewal is not the burden of one man. However gifted or determined, it requires the confidence of the whole society: the President who leads, the legislature that refines and oversees, the judiciary that upholds the law, the local government that delivers, the civil service that implements, the private sector that creates, and citizens who participate, pay their taxes, hold leaders accountable, and keep faith with the Nigerian project.
“So when you knock on the door, you are not merely canvassing for a candidate. You are inviting a fellow citizen to share in the ownership of Nigeria’s new renewal.
“As a servant of the people and a student of history, I offer this counsel: mobilisation is a means, not an end. The strength of a movement is not measured by the size of its crowds, but by the quality of its conversations.
“Make your engagement a two-way street. When you knock, do not only speak; listen. And when you have listened, report back.
“What you gather at the grassroots is valuable information that tells us where politics touches the ground and where it does not. By becoming a channel between citizens and the state, this movement will serve Nigeria far beyond any single election.”
The Speaker urged members of the movement to focus on issue-based campaigns, promote inclusiveness and engage Nigerians with facts ahead of the 2027 elections.
He charged the movement to take the message of renewal to communities across the country, saying members should listen to citizens, promote peaceful political participation and win support through dialogue rather than division.
Niger State Governor, Umar Bago, expressed confidence that the reforms introduced by the President would help reposition Nigeria, saying the administration would achieve more if given another opportunity.
Bago commended the PBAT Door-to-Door Movement as a strategic platform to support the APC’s campaign efforts, saying it would mobilise support for the party’s candidates from the presidency to state assemblies.
The national chairman, Prof Yilwatda, urged members of the PBAT Door-to-Door Movement to take the message of the Tinubu administration’s achievements to Nigerians at the grassroots.
Yilwatda said elections are won through direct engagement with citizens, urging members of the movement to reach out to communities, listen to their concerns and communicate the government’s policies and programmes.
He stated, “This group will brighten the entire country. They will awaken an army of people that will drive the support of Mr President across the nation.
“It is to begin a movement that will knock on every door, touch every heart, inspire every family, and carry the message of Renewed Hope from corner to corner until the entire country listens.
“We know elections are not won in television studios or by making comments on TV and social media. We know that we are not alone. We are not alone.
“Rather, elections are won in homes, in the homes of people. They are won in market spaces, where we have market women and where people transact.
“Who will tell our story as a government if we do not know the truth and remain silent? Who will speak of our progress if the builders refuse to speak? And who will defend the hope that we have? If this new hope remains silent, who will defend the hope that we have? If this new message is not told in homes, who will celebrate our achievements if others decide to bury our successes in misinformation?
“That is why PBAT Door-to-Door is a mission, a calling, and a particular responsibility given to you today to ensure that every Nigerian cares about the success story of the Renewed Hope Agenda.”
The APC chairman said Tinubu’s achievements had placed the economy on a positive path, noting that economic recovery is underway.
“The Nigerian economy is now returning from amber to green. Our GDP is growing at an average of 4 per cent. We are picking up from where we thought we would not grow again. Everybody’s confidence is building so that it grows globally. People now believe in us, and we must tell the story.
“We must inform people that our tax reforms, our health reform initiatives, have given more power to local governments, strengthened state governments, and supported the various projects across Nigeria.
“They are stories of the success of the reforms by the Federal Government. We must tell those stories. Those stories will be heard, and they must be heard.
“Clearly, across Nigeria, you can see infrastructure rising across the country. From state governors to the Federal Government, you can see infrastructure across the country.
“The Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway is connecting the maritime sector, connecting the economy, connecting the oil sector, and connecting the entire economic corridor across the country.
“The Sokoto-Badagry Superhighway, with over 300 dams for agricultural development, is creating a new food corridor and connecting commerce across our nation.
“The longest ever route to be constructed in Nigeria, the Trans-Saharan Superhighway, from Calabar to Ebonyi, Ebonyi to Enugu, Enugu to Benue, Benue to the FCT, the FCT back to Akwa Ibom and Nasarawa.
“The Trans-Saharan State route, from Nasarawa State to Jos, Jos to Bauchi, Bauchi to Gombe, Gombe to Yobe, and Yobe to Maiduguri, is over 1,300 kilometres of road.
“This will be the longest road ever connecting the South-South to the South-East, to the North-Central, and to the North-East, connecting four regions of Nigeria at the same time,” he said.
Yilwatda also listed Federal Government projects, including the AKK gas pipeline and rail infrastructure, adding that they would boost economic growth, support businesses, and create jobs across Nigeria.
He also praised the student loan scheme for expanding access to education, urging members of the movement to take the government’s achievements to Nigerians at the grassroots.
While inaugurating the National Executive Committee of the PBAT Door-to-Door Movement, the APC national chairman charged members to take their message directly to Nigerians through grassroots engagement.
Earlier in his remarks, the founder of the PBAT Door-to-Door Movement, Chief Government Ekpemupolo, popularly known as Tompolo, represented by Tantita Security Services Nigeria Limited Managing Director, High Chief Kestin Pondi, praised Tinubu’s reforms, describing them as evidence of purposeful leadership, and urged members to remain committed to grassroots mobilisation, national unity and development.
He stated, “President Bola Tinubu has demonstrated exceptional courage and visionary leadership through the bold reforms his administration has undertaken.
“To every Nigerian, we believe in the vision of a prosperous, united, and progressive nation. He represents purposeful leadership and renewed hope for a brighter Nigeria.
“The inauguration marks only the beginning of our journey. Together, we shall continue to mobilise at the grassroots, strengthen citizens’ engagement, and encourage constructive participation in nation-building.
“While the road ahead may be challenging, with unity, resilience, and determination, we are confident of reaching our destination.”
The National Coordinator of the PBAT Door-to-Door Movement, Sunday Asuku, pledged his commitment to advancing the vision of the movement and supporting Tinubu’s leadership.
Asuku, who stated this during his acceptance speech, expressed gratitude for the confidence reposed in him, saying he would work towards taking the message of the movement’s agenda to Nigerians across communities.
“Today, I stand before you with a heart full of gratitude, a mind committed to purpose, and a profound sense of the weight of the trust that has just been placed in my hands.
“I accept this appointment as the national coordinator of the PBAT Door-to-Door Movement 2027 with deep humility, unwavering commitment, and a clear understanding of what this moment demands of me.
“It is essential, therefore, to look at the political landscape of this nation and the opportunity we have been given to build this platform, not for personal benefits, but as an instrument of national service.
“It is on the foundation of your vision that I now stand, and I will not let you down. So, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, I will not let you down.”
The event featured cultural performances, paper presentations, a documentary highlighting Tinubu’s achievements, the inauguration of the PBAT Door-to-Door Movement National Executive, and the unveiling of buses for officials across the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory to support the movement’s activities.
punch.ng
FOLLOW US ON:
