PRESIDENT Bola Tinubu has stated that Nigerians cannot afford to take up residence abroad as refugees adding that he still possesses his green card.
The President urged Nigerians to be patriotic and to have trust in their nation, in order for Nigeria to take “baby steps of faith” and reach a “positive destination.”
“Nigeria will see positive changes as we move along. Let’s go through these baby steps of faith,” Tinubu said on Thursday when he visited the palace of the Alake of Egbaland, Oba Adedotun Gbadebo, in Abeokuta, the state capital.
“Let the confidence return to Nigeria. This country is the only country we have. I know what it means to be a refugee in another country. And my green-back passport is what I still have now.”
Tinubu, who described his visit as a “homecoming,” praised the leaders for winning Ogun State for him in the last election, despite the ‘no money, no fuel’ scandal that surrounded the February 25, 2023 election.
After achieving “Emi lo kan,” he stated that he was happy to be back in Ogun State. He then pleaded with the monarchs for their prayers in order to guide Nigeria’s ship in the correct direction and keep all of his pledges.
“To the chairman of our party, I am grateful. At least, we delivered despite the hardship of no money, no fuel. Ah! I credit you. Thank you.
“The hope is recharged. It is here. That hope will never fail. I am here still making that pledge of the campaign promise,” the President stated.
Tinubu made his famous “Emi lokan (It is my turn)” speech on June 2, 2022 in Abeokuta days before the presidential primary of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
“It is the turn of Yoruba, it is my turn,” he said while addressing party delegates at the Presidential Lodge in Abeokuta, Ogun State.
While giving the speech, he narrated how former military head of state, Muhammadu Buhari lost presidential elections repeatedly until he (Tinubu) helped him to win in 2015 adding however that Buhari had his respect.
Tinubu got the APC ticket and came top in 12 of Nigeria’s 36 states. He secured significant numbers in several other states gaining the highest number of votes — 8,794,726, almost two million votes more than former Vice President Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), his closest rival who has now run for president six times, polling 6,984,520 votes, while the candidate of the Labour Party (LP), Peter Obi, who, in less than a year, galvanised young voters in a manner some have described as unprecedented finished the race with 6,101,533.
About a week after his inauguration as Nigeria’s President on May 29, 2023, Tinubu suspended the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefiele and introduced radical reforms including the unification of foreign exchange rates.
