October 18, (THEWILL) – Presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Ahmed Tinubu, on Tuesday, said despite a national condition steep in difficulty inherited in 2015, President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration has delivered on promises of the APC.
Tinubu spoke on Tuesday, at the final Ministerial Performance Review Retreat of the Buhari administration at the State House Conference Centre, Presidential Villa, Abuja.
The APC Presidential flag bearer, who acknowledged the achievements of the Buhari administration, assured that even when many in the opposition would want his achievements to go unrecognised, the books of history would continue to preserve all he has done in his years as leader of the country.
Addressing the President and members of his cabinet, Tinubu said, “May I say this to you and to your entire team; the things you have done are important and enduring. Try as they might, no one can take those achievements away from you. Yet, it is the fate of the selfless worker to labour too hard and too long to write his own story. He will rather accomplish things for the good of all than focus attention on himself or herself. Thus, his history is not always fully and accurately told.
“His labour and achievements may go unappreciated for a moment, however, that unfair moment cannot last forever and cannot last, in due course, the full extent of this administration and the contribution would become known and understood very well.”
Tinubu, while pointing out that the Buhari administration inherited a national condition steep in difficulty unlike any other, noted that previous administrations under the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) lacked the will to tackle serious problems ranging from insecurity to corruption.
“You see, history has a way of clearing the myths so that things can be said clearly and objectively. Any objective assessment of your time and the national contribution you all have made will be a positive and grateful one.
“This administration inherited a national condition steep in difficulty unlike any other. Predecessor governments ignored or lacked the will to tackle serious problems ranging from insecurity to corruption.
“As if that was not enough, you confronted a series of events unprecedentedly compounded by the complexity and novelty of COVID that attacked global health and the global economy.
“Throughout most of your tenure, oil prices waned and edged and consequently, so, did our revenue. The Ukrainian prices and all the conflicts coupled with severe weather events in many nations further depleted economic production and undermined the international supply chain of regular items, especially food. You did more than… and withstand these adverse storms, despite it all, you made historic progress.
“During this retreat, you have been assessing and will still assess the status of your nine-point agenda. You will discuss things in great detail. Yet, permit me to highlight a few points to prompt the memory of those who somehow tend to forget it the recent past.
“Upon entering office, you faced a situation where deadly terrorists, were planting flags on our national territory proclaiming an illegal state within our legitimate state. Because of your collective work, they no longer plant those flags, they dare not. Their boast of conquest is no longer heard. You have put us on the road to defeating this menace.
“By the grace of Almighty God, we shall persist until terrorists and those like them are utterly removed from the face of our nation.
“The progress you made increasing farm productivity while improving the condition of the average farmer, was a border policy intervention helping the nation overcome the global supply chain disruptions that threaten our food security. Despite financial headwinds, you embarked on an unparalleled expansion of the national infrastructure. Work in the power sector may be slow but it will show some dividends amidst the increased investors in this area.
“Mr President and other members of the administration, may I state the following: if elected, I will give due honour to your efforts and your legacy. I will work in the spirit of further unity, and national purpose that informed the creation of our party that characterized the work of your government.
“Most importantly, the way and means of a Tinubu government will be devoted to further projects and prosper the Nigerian people because our guiding principle will be to provide the best of progressive governance and reform our beloved land. Consider these three promises, to build on the positive goals of your nine points agenda”, he said.
Tinubu had earlier commenced his goodwill message at the ongoing 3rd Ministerial Performance Review Retreat with a joke, by correcting the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Boss Mustapha, who had mistakenly referred to him as the presidential aspirant.
He had quickly reinforced the correction earlier made by Mustapha after a slip in his opening remark.
Mustapha, while introducing Tinubu, had initially referred to him as a presidential aspirant and immediately corrected it, referring to him as the party’s candidate.
However, when he took the podium for his speech, A Tinubu, while recognising dignitaries and participants and getting to the turn of the SGF, retorted jokingly, “yes, I’m a candidate, not an aspirant”.
Mustapha had at the opening on Monday said the retreat had been structured into three main focus areas.
“First is an overview of ministerial performance within the last three years of the administration, presenting key achievements and identifying opportunities for improvement.
“Second will reflect on lessons and good practices from the Kenyan presidential delivery unit while the third is ways to accelerate the delivery of flagship projects and programmes of the Buhari administration before the end of the tenure in May 2023”, he said.
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