Shettima to Nigerians: Be generous to Tinubu in the understanding of his reforms

Vice President Kashim Shettima has called on Nigerians to show understanding and be generous towards President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in the running of the country.

He also said that contrary to views in some quarters, Tinubu was actively engaging with developments in the country while abroad, stressing that advances in science and technology had made it easy for leaders to remain connected and provide impactful leadership irrespective of where they are located.

According to a statement by the Special Assistant to the President on Social Media, Dada Olusegun, Vice President Shettima said this while speaking to journalists during his visit to the president in his Lagos residence Saturday.

Shettima represented Tinubu at the recently concluded United Nations General Assembly, while the latter was also on vacation in Europe.

In a veiled reference to some critics of the president while on vacation, he said the advancement of science and technology had made things easy such that both of them were in constant touch with home during their sojourns abroad.

“Well, we are quite thrilled that he is back on the seat and we have been in regular contact throughout his sojourn abroad,” Shettima said.

“Advances in science and technology have made it possible to really have impactful leadership wherever one might find himself….

30) reviews: 51,000 people break Guinness World Record at “So we have been in regular contact, we speak almost every other day and we are updating him on developments in the nation and we are happy he is back on the seat,” he said.

He also spoke on some tough economic decisions of the administration, including the removal of fuel subsidy and the unification of multiple exchange rates.

While calling on Nigerians to be calm and remain steadfast, he said the government was putting in place measures towards easing the pains of the reforms.

In a veiled reference to Tinubu, who is severally criticised over the reforms, he said “It is absolutely essential that Nigerians need to be generous to this poor man.”

Speaking on the economy, he said:  “When we assume the mantle of leadership, our foreign reserves was a staggeringly low $3.9bn that was not enough to import fuel for one month,”  adding that the president summoned “the courage and the conviction to take far-reaching decisions, including the withdrawal of the fuel subsidy and the realignment of multiple exchange rates.”

According to him, the collapse of the nation’s economy was visible, and that Tinubu averted the situation.

He said: “The economy was teetering on the verge of collapse… He saved the economy. I want Nigerians to understand this fundamental truism. We were on the road to Caracas; he saved our economy; he saved the nation from falling into pieces.”

Acknowledging the pains faced by the citizens, the vice president, in some soothing words, assured: “We appreciate the pains Nigerians are going through, but tough times do not last forever, tough people do.”

On further plans to mitigate the hardship faced by Nigerians, Shettima said there were plans to launch e-logistics in the North-East, explaining that the initiative would include 10,600 electric tricycles, 300 buses and e-taxis.

The vice president also promised that the government was also working on programmes to support students and other vulnerable Nigerians.

“Be rest assured that we’ll come up with programmes and projects to ease the pains of the people,” he said.

Answering reporters on whether governance would be affected as the 2027 general elections approach, he said “politics is in the air, but we’ll combine politics and governance.”