From Lateef Dada, Osogbo
The first interim national chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief Adebisi Akande, has explained that the economic reform of President Bola Tinubu was not to inflict hardship but to rejig the system for better performance.
Pa Akande, who spoke at his hometown during his 86th birthday lecture, yesterday, said the president’s economic reforms are yielding positive results.
He expressed confidence that Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda was tailored to free Nigeria from the shackles of political brigandage, retrogression and bad leadership that characterised past administrations in the country, assuring that the policies would rebirth Nigeria to the path of greatness, renaissance, sustainable growth and development as envisaged by her founding fathers.
He recalled that the APC was formed to restore good governance in Nigeria which he said Tinubu has been working tirelessly to achieve.
“Today, I am happy that our great party is working tirelessly to liberate Nigeria and permanently end bad governance that had plagued the country for years. So, I am fulfilled and I don’t have any regret whatsoever on anything because All Progressives Congress was formed as a political party to remove the bad governance that Nigerians endured over the years, and the work is ongoing.
“Nigerians should appreciate, though we are not there yet, and every individual’s pride should be rooted in honesty. We must strive to be honest with our country, avoid fraud, and do things the right way, so Nigeria can move forward.
“President Bola Tinubu’s policy aims to liberate Nigeria from its current challenges and set the nation on a path to prosperity. In a few years, we’ll see the positive impact of his policies”, Akande said.
Earlier in his lecture, a Psychiatric Mental Health Practitioner of Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Ogbomoso, Dr. Adeoye Oyewole, called on Nigerians to reprioritise their needs in the face of the current socioeconomic reality.
Oyewole said the time has come for citizens to prioritise their health and desist from frivolities in the quest to survive beyond the economic challenges in the country.
“We need to reflect more about things that are very important, not urgent, our health financing, our family, our children, our wife, our own physical health, education of our children, that is the priority.”
In their separate remarks, founding Registrar, National Businesses and Technical Education Board (NABTEB), Professor Olu Aina and Chairman , MicCom Golf and Resort, Prince Tunde Ponnle, described Akande as a phenomenon worthy of emulation.
Dignitaries at the event included former Minister of Health, Professor Isaac Adewole, former Minister of Information, Lai Muhammad, Pro-Chancellor and Chairman governing council, OAU, Professor Siyan Oyeweso, D-G, NDE, Silas Ali, former deputy governor, Benedict Alabi, Bola Oyebamiji, former Speaker, Timothy Owoeye and Senator Mudasiru Hussain.