Jonathan Sends Message to Nigerians On Independence Day

Former President Goodluck Jonathan has urged Nigerians to remain patriotic and place peace, unity and justice above political interests as the country enters another electoral season.

Jonathan made the call in an Independence Day message shared on his X platform on Thursday, October 1, 2026, as Nigeria marked 66 years of independence.

The former president reflected on Nigeria’s journey since gaining independence from Britain in 1960, saying the country had overcome several challenges through the resilience and determination of its citizens.

“Today, our nation marks another significant milestone in its journey of nationhood. Sixty-six years ago, we secured our independence and took our destiny into our own hands,” Jonathan said.

“Through the years, Nigeria has faced numerous challenges, but through our collective resilience, we have always emerged triumphant.”

Jonathan urged Nigerians to remain hopeful and committed to the country despite the difficulties facing the nation.

He said Nigeria had significant opportunities ahead and could achieve sustainable development if its human and natural resources were properly harnessed.

The former president also drew attention to the next electoral season, saying the period would provide an important test of Nigeria’s democratic maturity.

“In a few months, we will enter another electoral season, a period that will test our democratic maturity. I urge all Nigerians to remain patriotic and prioritise actions that safeguard peace, unity, and justice,” he said.

Jonathan called on Nigerians, particularly young people, to remain courageous and hopeful about the future while contributing to the development of the country.

He said the responsibility of building a better Nigeria did not rest on government alone, stressing that citizens and leaders had important roles to play in creating a country that would provide a prosperous future for coming generations.

The former president particularly urged leaders at all levels to demonstrate responsibility and patriotism as Nigeria confronts its social and economic challenges.

“To leaders at all levels, this moment demands absolute responsibility and deeper patriotism,” Jonathan said.

He called for greater emphasis on personal sacrifice, good governance, accountability and respect for the rule of law, saying these were necessary to address the challenges confronting the country.

Jonathan also urged Nigerians to show greater dedication to national service and work collectively towards building a peaceful, secure and equitable society.

“Let us remain dedicated, showing greater commitment and sacrifice in national service to build a truly peaceful, secure, and equitable nation for ourselves and the generations ahead,” he said.

President Bola Tinubu, in his own Independence Day address, warned Nigerians against politicians promising to restore the petrol subsidy, arguing that such a move would undermine the economic reforms introduced by his administration.

Tinubu said Nigeria had passed through the most difficult stage of the reforms and was moving from what he described as an “age of reform” into an “age of prosperity.”

“For too long, Nigeria’s leaders chose morphine while praying for a miracle that never came,” Tinubu said, referring to previous governments’ handling of the country’s economic challenges.

The president defended the removal of the petrol subsidy and cautioned Nigerians against what he described as calls to reverse the policy.

“Now, as certain influential but regressive voices would have us abandon the treatment and return ourselves to the abuse of addictive subsidies, we must resist their siren song,” he said.

Tinubu said his administration’s reforms were designed to address structural weaknesses that had accumulated over several years rather than create the economic difficulties experienced by Nigerians.

The president highlighted economic growth, increased foreign reserves, changes in the foreign exchange market, a decline in oil theft and falling inflation from its peak among developments he said had followed the reforms.

He said the economy grew by more than four per cent in 2026 and that Nigeria generated more than $6 billion in non-oil export revenue in 2025.

Tinubu said the focus of the next phase of his administration would shift towards reducing the cost of living by lowering the cost of producing and transporting goods.

“My fellow Nigerians, we have reached a turning point,” he said.

“The emergency treatment is over. The foundation has been repaired. The central economic task before us has changed. For three years, our overriding purpose was to correct our nation’s course.

“Now, our purpose is simple: shared and widespread prosperity.”