The government commended the judiciary for the painstaking work and for rising to the occasion in fulfillment of their constitutional mandate as the final arbiters of electoral proceedings.
The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, at a press conference in Abuja, called on Nigerians to put the election matters behind them and join hands with the government to tackle the myriads of challenges confronting the nation.
According to Idris, the government is putting together arrangements for a national discourse that would heal national wounds and unite the country.
He said President Bola Tinubu had made it clear that he would be a president for all Nigerians, irrespective of their regional, ethnic, partisan, or religious affiliations.
Idris added that Tinubu, since he assumed office on May 29, has been working tirelessly to actualise the Renewed Hope Agenda that formed the basis of his coming into office.
He said, “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 to the occasion in fulfillment 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.”
The Minister stated that Tinubu has implemented unprecedented reforms that, while tough and painful in the short term, are necessary foundations for the economic growth and prosperity that the people of Nigeria deserve.
He added that the removal of petrol subsidies, which was 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 said the ongoing liberalisation of the foreign exchange regime is designed to close loopholes and gaps that have been exploited in very unscrupulous ways over the years, leading to the loss of billions of dollars in our scarce, hard-earned resources.”
While calling on Nigerians to endure with the temporal pains they are going through now, the minister said, “The combined impact of these reforms, no doubt has produced pain for many of our citizens, which the President and the administration have never shied away from acknowledging these difficulties. No serious government seeks to inflict burdens on its people.
“We are very clear in explaining that these pains being felt are a short-term sacrifice to make for the kind of country that we want and that we deserve.
“In his Independence Day address to the nation, on October 1, 2023, President Tinubu said, and I quote: “Reform may be painful, but it is what greatness and the future require.
“We now carry the costs of reaching a future Nigeria where the abundance and fruits of the nation are fairly shared among all, not hoarded by a select and greedy few.
“A Nigeria where hunger, poverty, and hardship are pushed into the shadows of an ever-fading past.
“There is no joy in seeing the people of this nation shoulder burdens that should have been shed years ago. I wish today’s difficulties did not exist. But we must endure if we are to reach the good side of our future.
“My government is doing all that it can to ease the load.”
He added that the Tinubu Administration is taking all the necessary steps to alleviate these pains and cushion the impact of the foundational reforms we are embarking on.
Speaking further, he said the President since he assumed office, has signed no fewer than five Executive Orders, aimed at improving Nigeria’s business and fiscal environment, and increasing foreign exchange supply; establishing a Presidential Fiscal Policy and Tax Reform Committee to reform the tax system, while also reducing the tax burden on Nigerians.
The minister further disclosed that the government is currently finalising the process for payment of a Cash Transfer of N25,000 monthly to 15 million of the poorest and most vulnerable households in Nigeria, for three months.
Again, he said a presidential directive for the release of 200,000 Metric Tonnes of grains from strategic reserves to households across the 36 states and FCT to moderate prices, and 225,000 metric tonnes of fertilizer, seedlings and other inputs to farmers had been issued.
“An access-to-credit programme for startups and MSMEs, that will be launched soon: providing N50 billion in Conditional Grants to 1 million nano-businesses across Nigeria between now and March 2024; and a new single-digit interest-rate Fund to provide N75 billion to support manufacturing enterprises; among others.
“We have launched the 3MTT programme that aims to develop 3 million technical talents by 2025, in line with the President’s vision for making Nigeria a global hub for digital jobs.
“By January 2024, we will be rolling out the new Federal student loan programme that was announced a few months ago. Some of these programs are being delivered or going to be delivered in close partnership with the State Governments.”
Against this backdrop, he appealed to Nigerians to exercise patience and optimism that Nigeria will emerge from this chapter stronger and more prosperous while urging them to put their differences aside and believe the best about the country.
On National cohesion, Idris said a new national discussion is being put together by the Tinubu’s administration and would be driven by the National Orientation Agency, NOA.
He assured that the government will continue to strive to rebuild the trust of citizens in the ways and workings of the government and boost the credibility of public information and communication.
On the social media regulation agenda, he described social media as a global phenomenon that is not peculiar to Nigeria but assured that Nigeria would be part of the ongoing global efforts to roll out a roadmap for social media operation. He, however, reminded the practitioners that the freedom of the press comes with a huge responsibility.
