Joseph Bakare
The Speaker of the House of Representatives Rt. Hon. Abbas Tajudeen, has felicitated the President/Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, Federal Republic of Nigeria, His Excellency, Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, as he marks his 73rd birthday on Saturday, March 29.
The Speaker, who noted that President Tinubu deserves being celebrated on the occasion of his birthday, paid glowing tributes to the Nigerian leader.
Nigeria, the Speaker said, is lucky to have a democrat and patriot in the person of President Tinubu as its leader at this critical point in the country’s democratic journey.
He described President Tinubu as one of the most experienced politicians to have occupied the presidential seat, having at various times excelled at the state and federal levels in the executive and legislative arms of the governments.
Speaker Abbas commended President Tinubu for taking the bull by the horns immediately after his inauguration by removing the age-long fuel subsidy, which had put the country in a dire situation over the years.
The Speaker expressed delight that the decision, alongside the floating of the Naira, has already started yielding positive results for the country, affirming the sincerity of purpose in the administration’s handling of the economy.
He also applauded the President for some people-oriented policies and programmes such as the Student Loan Scheme, the Consumer Credit Scheme, the new national minimum wage, Local Government Autonomy, the crude-for-naira deal, fixing of the Port Harcourt Refinery, among many others.
Speaker Abbas was particularly elated at President Tinubu’s absolute dedication to the welfare and well-being of Nigerians by distributing palliatives in different forms both directly from the Federal Government and through state governors.
“It is indeed a day of celebration not just for His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, and his family but also for every well-meaning Nigerian.
“As a democrat and patriot that he is, President Tinubu has demonstrated his unflinching allegiance and steadfastness to the well-being of Nigerians. He keeps to his covenant of making Nigeria better.
“Though initially painful, the policies and programmes introduced by the Tinubu administration are necessary for our future and the future of our unborn generations. As we have already started witnessing, these painful decisions are now paying off. Prices of foodstuffs are dropping drastically; the Naira is truly fighting for its strength as exchange rates keep crashing; insecurity is gradually being nipped in the bud.
“I make bold to say that across all sectors, we are witnessing not just the resilience of our country and its people but also the transformative impact of these courageous policies. Your strategic foresight and unwavering commitment have set Nigeria on a remarkable path to recovery, prosperity, and renewed national pride.
“Under your resolute command, our security apparatus has delivered peace and order, cutting violent crime and insurgency by over 30% across our beloved states. Improved coordination among our armed forces,
intelligence agencies, and community security initiatives has resulted in a reduction of over 30% in violent crimes and insurgency incidents across several states.
“The sacrifices made and the tough choices taken are now showing tangible benefits.
These benefits are restoring confidence in our economy, security, and the future
of our nation. In not-so-distant future, Nigerians will smile and applaud the Tinubu administration for standing firm for the country to be afloat.”
The Speaker added that under President Tinubu’s stewardship, Nigeria’s economy has been rejuvenated from the depths of despair to the heights of promise as recent statistics released by the National Bureau of
Statistics revealed that the country’s GDP grew by 3.2% in the last quarter of 2024, up from 2.5% in the preceding period.
“This robust performance across key sectors: agriculture, manufacturing and services, stands as a testament to your determined leadership, translating into improved lives for millions of Nigerians.
“I am particularly elated that President Tinubu is marking this milestone birthday in a special way by attending a special prayer session, highlighting the president’s belief in submitting his affairs to the Almighty God through prayers, especially by the citizens.
“I call on Nigerians to join the first family on this special occasion and offer prayers for our leader and country,” the Speaker said.
Speaker Abbas restated the commitment of the House, and by extension the 10th National Assembly, to continue working harmoniously with the Executive arm led by President Tinubu in the interest of Nigerians.
He wished President Tinubu many more fruitful years in sound health.