President Bola Tinubu has declared that no opposition figure can scare him off ahead of the 2027 general election, insisting that he remained committed to Nigeria’s democratic process and national development.
Tinubu spoke on Thursday evening in Abuja at a meeting with members of the Renewed Hope Ambassadors led by Imo State governor, Hope Uzodimma, where he addressed supporters amid laughter and applause.
The President particularly threw jibes at major opposition leaders, their coalition efforts on the platform of ADC and the party’s recent national convention held at an event centre in Abuja.
“I have listened to various comments, I’m inspired, I am ready . I’m grateful to all of you , this is an opportunity of lifetime to break the shackle of poverty, ignorance, to put freedom in the hearts of our people, to ensure democracy survives, not the noise making, not the rascality of a street convention,” he said to the laughter and applause of the people present.
“We cannot submit to the disobedience of a lawful court order. We have to embrace the judiciary whether it favours us or it doesn’t,” he added.
Making veiled references to major opposition figures, especially members of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), including former vice president Atiku Abubakar and former Labour party (LP) presidential candidate, Peter Obi, among other, Tinubu stated that no one of them could intimidate him regarding the 2027 presidential race.
“They want to scare me off? It’s a lie,” Tinubu said, drawing laughter from the Renewed Hope Ambassadors. “During the primary that got me here, it was tough; during the general election, it was tough,” he added.
The president, while reflecting on his political journey, maintained that he would remain steadfast despite challenges.
“I have been through this path before, and if I have to come back over and over again, I will do the same thing. There is no better place than your own country, and no one can build it except you,” he said.
Taking another veiled swipe at Atiku, Tinubu criticised past privatisation efforts under the former vice president when he was the chairman of the National Privatisation Council (NPC). “If you look at all of them, no one is without history. The head was the chairman of the privatisation council of Nigeria. If you look at all of them, no one is without history among these calabash, the head was the chairman of the privatization council of Nigeria, he privatised the steel company in Niger Delta, is it working today? He privatised Ajaokuta, is it working today? Ahh,” he exclaimed. “The list goes on, they privatised another man’s political party, that one said, ‘No’,” the president added.
Speaking to the Renewed Hope Ambassadors, he said, “I can only stand before you and assure you that you will not regret it. That is why we asked you to renew their hope. If they do not see the hope in the roads we build, in the children we raise, and in the economy we are growing, we will lend them Bola’s eyeglasses to see clearly.”
The president concluded by reaffirming his resilience and determination to continue leading the country despite political opposition, declaring “I won’t give up.”
Credit: Leadership