President Bola Tinubu, says he decided to unify the official and parallel market exchange rates to save the country from financial hemorrhage.
Tinubu disclosed this Thursday while speaking at a civic reception organised in his honour by the Lagos State Government at the Lagos House, Marina.
The President in a statement issued Thursday by his Special Adviser to the President on Special Duties, Communications and Strategy, Dele Alake, said he could have chosen to maintain the hitherto multiple foreign exchange systems and benefit from it, but instead opted for the unification.
He noted that he took the decision in the nation’s best interest just like he did with fuel subsidy removal.
The President said it was imperative to take those decisive actions in the early days of his administration.
He also solicited the support of governors present at the event to work with him in ensuring even development of the country.
Tinubu stated: “I could afford to share the benefit by participating in the arbitrage, but God forbid! That’s not why you voted for me.
“We need to take the steps to stop the bleeding of our finances through speedy action on fuel subsidy. We have no choice.”
Tinubu said as a way of ensuring good use of available resources, the government would “re-engineer the effectiveness of the control and management of our resources in order to meet the obligations to Nigerians by political officeholders.”
“We will work together with an open door policy. We will bring Nigeria from the brink to a resilient economy. I want us to be partners so that we can rescue our land and make it a born-again nation.”
Speaking on behalf of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF), Kwara State Governor and Chairman of the forum, Abdulrahman AbdulRazaq, pledged that state chief executives, regardless of party affiliations, were ready to cooperate and work with the President to ensure the country becomes better and safer for all citizens.
He stressed, “NGF is excited that both the President and Vice President are alumni of the Governors’ Forum. We are committed to work with a federalist who worked to get things done in a truly federal system. We reiterate our support for a renewed hope agenda regardless of our parties.”
President of the Senate, Senator Godswill Akpabio, who spoke on behalf of members of the National Assembly, thanked Tinubu for his leadership in smoothening the take-off of the 10th National Assembly.
“You will succeed. Nigerians are proud of you and the National Assembly is here for you 100 percent. We will do whatever is legislatively possible to make you succeed,” Akpabio said.
Thebimmediate-past Minister of Works and Housing and former Governor of Lagos, Mr. Babatunde Fashola, pleaded with governors and Nigerians that the work of remaking Nigeria should not be left alone to the President, stating that good governance must be replicated across the 36 states.
Going down memory lane, leader of Lagos Governor’s Advisory Council (GAC), Pa Tajudeen Olusi, said the emergence of Tinubu was a pay-back time for the state having contributed significantly to the political evolution of Nigeria since the colonial era of Herbert Macaulay till date.
“Those who have led this country were tutored in Lagos. We are grateful that the President of Nigeria this time finally came from Lagos. We have a man whom we are proud of. He has already started well and Nigerians have seen his first 30 days as remarkable.”