President Bola Tinubu says Nigerians cannot afford to remain refugees in other countries, and that he still has his green-back passport.
The President urged Nigerians to be patriotic and to have faith in their country as the country takes “baby steps of faith” towards 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 said his visit was a homecoming, saluted the leaders for delivering Ogun State for him in the last election despite the ‘no money, no fuel’ controversy that dotted the February 25, 2023 poll.
He said having achieved ‘Emi lo kan’, he was glad to be back in Ogun State. He thereafter sought the prayers of the monarchs to steer the ship of Nigeria aright and to deliver on all promises made.
“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.
In 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. He would later issue a statement declaring his respect for the President.
Tinubu got the APC ticket and came out tops in 12 of Nigeria’s 36 states. He secured significant numbers in several other states to claim the highest number of votes — 8,794,726, almost two million votes more than his closest rival — former Vice President Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Abubakar, 76, who has now run for president six times, got 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.