President Bola Tinubu has pledged to pursue his commitment to reform Nigeria, even if it leads to a decline in his popularity.
TrackNews Media reports that the vow by the president was made during the meeting with António Guterres, United Nations (UN) Secretary-General, at the UN headquarters in New York, United States.
The president said his fight for democracy in Nigeria was met with arrests in the past, but that did not deter him.
“I fought for democracy. I was detained for democracy. I am now President and I am determined to prove that democracy can provide the development that our nation and our continent so urgently demands,” Tinubu said.
The president added that the country has focused too much on talk and not enough on action to address its high levels of poverty.
“Trace those of us here to our foundations and you will find that we have ties and links with poverty,” Tinubu said.
“We must not be ashamed of that history, but poverty is unacceptable. I am one of the lucky survivors of gripping poverty.
“Nigeria is truly a giant, 240 million people and counting with a massive youth population.
“We are done saying too much. We seek much action. We have arisen out of poverty as individuals, but until our people have arisen out of that, we will not rest, even if it requires decisions at home that make me temporarily unpopular.”
Some of Tinubu’s economic decisions, including the removal of the petrol subsidy and unifying foreign exchange rates, have attracted criticism since he took office on May 29.
While some have countered the president’s policies, some have applauded them, saying they were long overdue reforms, even though they have led to rising inflation and the cost of living in the country.
According to Guterres, Tinubu’s reforms have generated “high expectations” within the UN, and he pledged that the global organization would continue to provide its support.
“Nigeria is an indispensable voice in the sub-region. We will give you every support needed for your success to be achieved. Your success is Africa’s success and we wish you well,” the UN secretary-general added.
