He expressed gratitude to the members of the Renewed Hope Ambassadors and assured them that he would not abandon them.
“I’m grateful to all of you. This is an opportunity of a lifetime to break the shackles of poverty and ignorance, to put freedom in the hearts of our people, to ensure democracy survives, not the noisemaking, not the rascality of a street convention,” he said.
Advising the opposition to obey the judiciary, the President said: “We cannot submit to disobedience of a lawful order of the court. We must embrace the judiciary, whether it favors us or not.
“We submit to the principles of democracy, separation of powers, and the understanding of its dynamics and the nationhood that Nigeria is. We must build one country.
“There’s no other way on the path that we embrace to national greatness than to build one nation, one common vision for progress and prosperity of our people. That’s what we must do. That’s what Renewed Hope is all about.”
Tinubu told the Renewed Hope Ambassadors to try as much as possible to give Nigerians hope.
“You must give them that hope, but try as much as possible, men and women of integrity who are here in this room, to build a Nigeria,” he said.
On the coming together of the opposition, Tinubu said: “They want to scare me off, it is a lie. I’ve been through this path before, and if I have to come back over and over and over again, I’ll do the same thing.
“There is no better place than your own country, and no one can build it except you. We saw great things because we see skyscrapers. We wonder how the plane takes off and flies from one destination to the other. These are no magic of yesterday.
“It is the thinker of tomorrow and the future that can elevate life, that can reform us all. As a transformative leader, you are in good company. Don’t be afraid.”
On the economy, the President said despite the bad shape of the nation’s economy before he took over, he had to take the bull by the horns.
“I’ve listened to you. There is the economy. I didn’t have to look back because the truth is, I took over from myself. The late Muhammadu Buhari is me; he was a partner. If I took over from him, is that not from myself?
“So, if something is wrong, fine, live with it, correct it, move on. The life voyage is not going to be easy, and so many of you are traveling with me. I can only stand before you and say you will not regret it.
“That’s why we ask you to renew their hope. If they don’t want to, we will let them see the hope and the roads with the bridges and the children we raise, and the economy we are growing. We lend them ‘jiggy bola’. We will give them eyeglasses.
“I can assure you, whatever you say I do, but one thing that you need from me is a promise that I won’t run away from you. With you, the deal is done. No other thing, whatever we need to do, coordinate from the ward level.”
The President said the Renewed Hope Ambassadors belong to one family and represent the conscience of a nation “that wants to break the shackles of poverty, ignorance, and hopelessness.
“You are in good company. That’s all I can say, and all I can promise is that I won’t give up.
“During the primary that got me here, it was tough. During the election, it was tough.”
Making veiled reference to Atiku, he said: “The head was the chairman of the Privatization Council of Nigeria in this country. One time, he privatized the steel industry in Delta. Is it working today? No. Once they privatized Ajaokuta, is it working today? They privatized another man’s political party. Your job is done. Just let’s go to the depths, the research of the details and what we promised Nigerians, and I promise I won’t let you down.”
Speaking earlier, Governor Hope Uzodimma of Imo State explained that the initiative was designed to drive national renewal by translating the policies and achievements of President Tinubu into clear, relatable messages at the grassroots level, thereby deepening public understanding and engagement.
On his part, a chieftain of the All-Progressives Congress, APC, and former Governor of Katsina State, Aminu Masari, said reform-driven leadership inevitably faces resistance but noted that the Tinubu administration has continued to record significant achievements despite prevailing challenges.
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