President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has admitted that the economic reforms introduced by his administration have come with hardship for Nigerians, noting that he has also personally felt the impact.
Speaking on Sunday after emerging as the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress for the 2027 election, Tinubu said the sacrifices demanded by the ongoing reforms have affected him in similar ways as many citizens.
Addressing party faithful at the Bola Tinubu International Conference Centre in Abuja, the President said he understands the pains Nigerians have endured since the implementation of key economic and fiscal policies aimed at repositioning the country’s economy.
“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 stated.
The President stressed that despite the challenges associated with the reforms, he remains committed to fulfilling the mandate entrusted to him by Nigerians.
“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 added.
Tinubu formally accepted the APC presidential ticket and expressed gratitude to members of the ruling party for endorsing him for another presidential contest.
“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 reflected on the conduct of the party’s nationwide primary election, saying the peaceful atmosphere and large turnout of supporters strengthened his confidence in Nigeria’s democracy.
Tinubu disclosed that after casting his vote in Lagos on Saturday, he monitored developments across the country on television.
“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 secured the APC presidential ticket after polling 10,999,162 votes in the direct primary conducted across the 774 local government areas of the country.