President Bola Tinubu has assured Nigerians that his administration's reform agenda is designed to lay the groundwork for long-term prosperity, insisting that the sacrifices being demanded of citizens today are a necessary step toward a more stable and prosperous nation. Tinubu delivered the assurance on Thursday, July 9, at the inauguration of the PBAT Door-to-Door Movement in Abuja, where he was represented by Senate President Godswill Akpabio.
Tinubu Defends Fuel Subsidy Removal and Forex Unification
Since assuming office on May 29, Tinubu's government has rolled out sweeping economic measures, most notably the removal of the decades-old fuel subsidy and the unification of Nigeria's foreign exchange market. Both policies triggered immediate hardship for millions of Nigerians but were framed by the administration as essential corrections to a distorted economy, according to Vanguard.
President's Case for Reform
Addressing the gathering, the president argued that greatness as a nation is never achieved by avoiding hard choices. "Nations do not become great because they avoid difficult decisions. They become great because they confront difficulties with wisdom, patience, and patriotism," he said. He added that reform should be understood as an ongoing process rather than a single intervention. "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."
Collaboration with Other Branches of Government
Tinubu also stressed that his administration is working in concert with other branches of government to ensure the reforms translate into tangible benefits for ordinary Nigerians, as reported by Punch. "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," he said.
Call for Democratic Patriotism
Speaking directly to members of the newly inaugurated PBAT Door-to-Door Movement, the president urged them to prioritise service over partisan mobilisation. "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," he said. He also struck a unifying tone on the role of politics in national life, saying electoral contests should never fracture the country beyond healing. "Politics should never divide us beyond repair. Elections may produce winners and losers, but Nigeria must always emerge the ultimate victor."
Generational Responsibility
Tinubu closed by framing democratic engagement as an act of generational responsibility, telling the movement's members that their conduct would be judged by those who come after them.
Atiku's Demand for Resignation
In a related development, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar gave President Bola Tinubu a seven-day deadline to either sign the Federal Audit Service Bill into law, formally reject it, or vacate the presidency, citing what he described as a clear constitutional violation. In a statement cited by Legit.ng and issued on Thursday, July 10, 2026, through his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, Atiku invoked Section 58(4) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended), which states that once a bill is presented to the President for assent, "he shall within thirty days thereof signify that he assents or that he withholds assent."
