Following the Supreme Court judgment delivered on Thursday that affirmed the election of President Bola Tinubu, the Federal Government said yesterday that it is time for all Nigerians to come together and move the nation forward.
The Federal Government, in its first official reaction to the Supreme Court judgment appealed to Nigerians to exercise patience and optimism that Nigeria will emerge from the current challenges stronger and more prosperous.
Addressing a press conference yesterday in Abuja, the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Alhaji Mohammed Idris said “the Tinubu Administration is taking all the necessary steps to alleviate these pains, and cushion the impact of the foundational reforms” the government was embarking on.
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His words: “The Courts have spoken and the President and the ruling party, the All Progressives’ Congress (APC) have welcomed this judicial victory as pronounced. We thank the Judiciary for the painstaking work that they have done, and for rising up to the occasion in fulfilment of their constitutional mandate as the final arbiters of electoral proceedings in the country.
“Now that the legal contest regarding the outcome of the Presidential election is now behind us, it is time for all of us to come together and move forward, into a season of governing that is without distraction.
“These are indeed challenging economic times, not just for Nigeria, but also for many countries around the world, and all hands must be on deck to tackle the challenges confronting us. President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has made it clear that he will be a President for all Nigerians: regardless of regional, ethnic, partisan, or religious affiliations. Since he assumed office on May 29, he has been working tirelessly to actualize the Renewed Hope Agenda that formed the basis of his coming into office.
“He has implemented unprecedented reforms that, though may be tough and painful in the short term, are necessary foundations for the economic growth and prosperity that the people of Nigeria deserve. The removal of petrol subsidies, which as you all know were already envisaged by the Petroleum Industry Act of 2021, is freeing up significant resources for Federal and State Governments to invest in infrastructure and welfare programs for the benefit of citizens.
The minister then outlined some of the efforts made so far by the government, in the short and medium-term, to make life better for all Nigerians, even the longer-term benefits of the reforms are being awaited. These reforms include:
*A provisional wage increment of N35,000 monthly for six months, to enhance federal minimum wage, without causing undue inflation.
*Establishment of an Infrastructure Support Fund for States to invest in critical areas that will create an enabling environment for businesses and;
*Launch of a 100 Billion Naira CNG bus rollout programme, to deliver CNG-powered buses, and establishment of a Presidential Committee to drive implementation.
The minister noted that since President Tinubu assumed office, he has “signed no fewer than five Executive Orders, aimed at improving Nigeria’s business and fiscal environment, and increasing foreign exchange supply and establishment of a Presidential Fiscal Policy and Tax Reform Committee to reform the tax system while also reducing tax burden on Nigerians”. The minister said the Committee has presented its first set of reform proposals to the President, and “Nigerians can rest assured that they will be implemented”.
“Against this backdrop of multifaceted government interventions and commitment, I want to appeal to Nigerians to please exercise patience and optimism that Nigeria will emerge from this chapter stronger and more prosperous. This is our country, it belongs to all of us, regardless of who we may have voted for in the last elections.
