ABUJA, Nigeria (ChatnewsTV) — President Bola Tinubu on Friday emphasized his dedication to serving Nigeria, stating that he is not in office for personal gain but to drive national progress in key areas such as infrastructure, food security, energy, and education.
“I didn’t come to look for money and exploit the situation; I came to work. I asked for the votes, and Nigerians gave them to me,” Tinubu said during a meeting with the Forum of Former Presiding Officers of the National Assembly, held at Aso Rock Villa, Abuja.
The meeting was attended by 16 former legislative leaders, including former Senate President Ken Nnamani, who led the delegation. The group comprised former senate presidents, House of Representatives speakers, deputy senate presidents, and deputy speakers.
Tinubu acknowledged the support of the Forum members, regardless of their political affiliations, and called for continued unity and collaboration to achieve Nigeria’s development goals.
“Regardless of party differences of the past and the difficulty of the present, you still believe in me and what we all plan for this country. I thank you very much; no one will do it better than us,” he said.
Reflecting on Nigeria’s challenges, Tinubu highlighted the neglect of critical sectors in the past, particularly education and infrastructure, during times of high crude oil production.
“We neglected our communities; we neglected the goose that lays the golden eggs. We forgot to educate our children,” the president said, adding, “Go around and look at the dilapidated schools. The education environment must be decent enough for pupils to want to learn.”
He assured the former presiding officers that his administration is focused on addressing these shortcomings, improving infrastructure, enforcing financial regulations, and exploring alternative energy sources to ensure energy security.
Senator Ken Nnamani, speaking on behalf of the delegation, pledged the group’s full support for Tinubu’s efforts to tackle Nigeria’s pressing issues, including insecurity, economic challenges, and infrastructure decay.
“Mr. President, history has never been the burden of one man alone, but some are called to meet a special share of its challenges,” Nnamani said. “As difficult as these problems are, we believe that with your experience, you can face the difficulties and surmount them.”
Nnamani commended Tinubu for his courage in addressing local government autonomy and for appointing some of the Forum’s members to key national positions.
The meeting marked the president’s first official engagement with the Forum since taking office.
