President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has admitted that Nigerians have faced tough times under his economic reforms, saying he has also felt the strain and made personal sacrifices because of the measures.
Tinubu spoke on Sunday shortly after securing the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential ticket for the 2027 election following his victory in the party’s primary.
Addressing supporters at the Bola Tinubu International Conference Centre in Abuja, the President said he understands the hardship many citizens have experienced since the rollout of major fiscal and economic reforms and stressed that Nigerians have not carried the burden alone.
“I know what it takes to reform this nation we met in tatters. If you lost sleep, I’ve lost some too. If you’ve lost weight, I’ve lost some too,” Tinubu said.
He maintained that despite the challenges linked to the reforms, he remains focused on delivering on the mandate Nigerians gave him.
“But I’ve 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 stated.
Accepting the APC nomination, Tinubu thanked party members for giving him another chance to contest for the country’s top office.
“I accept with profound humility and gratitude the nomination of our great party, the APC, to stand again as your presidential candidate in the 2027 election,” he said.
The President also said he closely followed events nationwide after voting in Lagos on Saturday, describing the large turnout and peaceful conduct of the primary as encouraging for democracy.
“I was glued to the television after voting. I saw the mammoth crowd in Kano and Kaduna, the city boy walking the streets of Calabar,” he said.
“It was a good feeling to see that there was no bloodshed, no rancour. This is politics in earnest. This is where we want Nigeria, facing one focus.”
Tinubu won the APC presidential primary with 10,999,162 votes, defeating Stanley Osifo, who polled 16,503 votes. He was later presented with the party’s flag for the 2027 presidential election.
