I Won’t Give Excuses, Nigerians Are Not Lazy And Have No Reason To Be Poor – Tinubu

President Bola Tinubu has declared that Nigeria should not endure poverty, insecurity, and underdevelopment, given its abundant human resources and natural wealth.

Tinubu pledged that during his leadership, these challenges would be decisively addressed, emphasizing that he would not make excuses for any setbacks.

The president made these remarks on Thursday during a meeting with a 62-member delegation from Rivers State, South-South Nigeria, at the State House in Abuja.

The delegation, led by Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, included leaders from both the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Prominent figures such as former Rivers State Governor and FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike and former Nigeria Bar Association (NBA) President Onueze Okocha were also part of the delegation.

President Tinubu expressed confidence in the work ethic and potential of Nigerians, emphasizing that the nation should not suffer from poverty, insecurity, or underdevelopment.

He said, “We are not meant to be in a position to be poor. We will turn the tide! Somewhere, somehow in this storm, there’s a quiet and peaceful place for us. We will locate it!

“We are not lazy people. We are richly endowed. We just need to be our brother’s keeper, and good neighbours to one another.

“I am not a president that will give excuses. I will work hard for our nation with purpose, determination and dedication to create wealth for all Nigerians. We have no reason to be poor! We will not look back, we will run aggressively forward.

“Today, we may be swimming against the tide. But the waves will soon propel us forward from behind. We will achieve the goals and dreams of our forefathers. I am inspired by the nation of people I now lead,” the president said.

The president expressed his commitment to working toward fulfilling the expectations of the Nigerian people and advised the younger generation to be patient with his government.

He said, “I am the captain and chief salesman of the country. We have to reverse the trend and achieve possibilities within a short period of time.

“Our people have high expectations for us. I pledge to work hard, and I pray to God to put me on the right path, not to disappoint Nigerians.”

President Tinubu acknowledged the concerns of prominent individuals from Rivers State regarding infrastructure development, specifically the Eleme Junction-Onne axis of the East-West Road, which links to the Port Harcourt Refinery.

“The Honourable Minister, Wike, is not just the Minister of FCT, he is also my adviser and an admirer of mine. He has hit the ground running and he should be encouraged by the state,” he added.

Tinubu said the former governor had left big shoes to fill for the new governor and that as one of his most trusted allies, Rivers State would always have direct access to him in their joint march toward sustainable development.