Tinubu to Nigerian Youths: Your Future Depends on This Election

By Correspondent

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has appealed to voters in Rivers State to renew his mandate in the 2027 general elections, promising that another four years in office would usher in greater economic prosperity and improved living conditions for Nigerians.

Tinubu made the appeal on Saturday at the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential campaign rally in Port Harcourt, where he expressed appreciation to the people of Rivers for supporting his presidential ambition in the 2023 election.

The President said he returned to the state not only to appreciate their support but also to seek their votes for a second term, assuring them that his administration was committed to improving their welfare and securing a prosperous future for the country.

“Today again, I return here to say thank you and seek your support for the second term. I’m seeking that support because you believe in me. You believe that I care for you,” he said.

Addressing young Nigerians, Tinubu emphasised that their education, welfare and skills development remained central to his administration’s priorities.

He declared that the country had already embarked on a path towards economic recovery and prosperity, insisting that the benefits of ongoing reforms would become increasingly evident.

“Your education, your welfare, your skill is extremely important to me and to Nigeria. I assure you, we have started the golden age. The prosperity is here,” he said.

Tinubu recalled that 27 of Nigeria’s 36 states were unable to meet their salary obligations when he assumed office in May 2023, attributing the situation to the economic challenges inherited by his administration.

He said his government had worked to reverse the situation, noting that the inability of state governments to pay workers had inflicted hardship on millions of families and their dependants.

The President also criticised former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar, questioning the source of funds used to establish a university while he occupied public office and was overseeing the nation’s economy.

Tinubu raised concerns about the propriety of such an investment, questioning whether public resources had been deployed for private interests.

The President commended the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, for his contributions to infrastructure development and his support for the Federal Government.

Describing Wike as a development partner of his administration, Tinubu praised his commitment, hard work and vision, saying his contributions were helping to advance the government’s development agenda.

“Wike is already a development partner of Bola Tinubu administration. He’s doing a wonderful job, committed, very, very hard working, a man with vision who combines that with the mission,” the President said.

Tinubu also praised Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, for what he described as maturity, restraint and respect for leadership during the political crisis that rocked the state.

He said Fubara demonstrated commitment to peace and democratic principles by accepting his intervention in the dispute and maintaining stability thereafter.

“When we intervened, you respected our position; you maintained peace. You are a committed democrat. Fubara, you will not regret what you have done, as long as all of us are alive,” Tinubu declared.

The President urged young Nigerians to take an active interest in the 2027 general elections, describing the exercise as a defining moment for their future and the direction of the country.

He specifically appealed to eligible voters who had yet to collect their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) to do so, stressing that the cards remained their most important instrument for determining who governs them.

“This election is about you. It’s not about me. Your future depends on this election. It is left for you to use the weapon you have, and that weapon is the PVC. If you have not collected yours, please go ahead and collect it,” he said.

Tinubu further disclosed that his administration was addressing outstanding pension and gratuity obligations inherited from previous governments, assuring retired public servants that efforts were underway to clear the accumulated liabilities.

He said the backlog, which ran into billions and trillions of naira, had affected retired workers across different professional backgrounds, including engineers, welders and teachers.

According to him, the Federal Government was committed to ensuring that pensioners received their legitimate entitlements as part of its broader efforts to distribute the benefits of economic recovery.

The President maintained that his administration had already begun laying the foundation for shared prosperity, urging Nigerians, particularly the youth, to support the continuation of his policies and programmes beyond 2027.