In his 2025 Distinguish Personality Lecture titled “The Nigeria of our Dreams” at Obafemi Awolowo University, Minister of the Federal Capital Territory Nyesom Wike praised President Bola Tinubu for risking his life to establish democracy in Nigeria.
Wike acknowledged Tinubu’s dedication to seeing democracy succeed in the country.
He said: “Let me make bold at this juncture to state that today, in our country, we have such a leader in the person of Tinubu.
“He has shown in several ways and at different times, a stout commitment to the enthronement of democracy in our country, to the extent of even putting his own life on the line in the process.
“He has shown great capacity for engendering development as captured in the unprecedented rapid and exponential development of Lagos state under his watch and even beyond,” he added.
Wike noted that the president has demonstrated a rare courage by removing fuel subsidy on his first day, upon being sworn in as President.
According to Wike, leaders before him all spoke about the evil of fuel subsidy, but none had the courage to dare the blackmail of removing it.
“Tinubu did and is fittingly grappling with the inevitable, unintended and sometimes orchestrated consequences of this removal.
“Today, our states have far more resources to develop, the debts are no longer piling and the price of petrol is gradually but steadily adjusting downwards in tandem with the forces of demand and supply and the strict implementation of regulatory conditionalities.
“Also, the overwhelming cry of over-centralisation of power and resources at the national level and the attendant abuse of the doctrine of federalism is being systematically addressed.
“This is being addressed through the creation of zonal/regional commissions empowered to devolve developmental impetus to the respective zones and regions, so that power can truly return to the people.”
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