President Bola Tinubu on Friday held a meeting with top traditional rulers from across Nigeria.
POLITICS NIGERIA reports that the meeting, organised under the auspices of the National Council of Traditional Rulers of Nigeria (NCTRN), took place at the State House Conference Centre in the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
This meeting marked President Tinubu’s first engagement with traditional rulers since assuming office.
This newspaper learnt that the Sultan of Sokoto, Muhammadu Sa’adu Abubakar, who serves as the council’s chairman, led the traditional rulers into the meeting.
During his opening remarks, the Sultan of Sokoto expressed their collective purpose in visiting the Villa, which was to extend their congratulations to President Tinubu and pledge their unwavering support for his leadership in the immense task of governing the nation. He emphasised that the traditional rulers bring diverse professional backgrounds to the table, presenting a valuable resource for the President to tap into.
Speaking on behalf of his colleagues, the Sultan conveyed the traditional rulers’ confidence in President Tinubu’s ability to navigate the country’s affairs with competence and integrity.
He acknowledged the successful conduct of the recent elections, despite the concerns expressed by pessimistic individuals who had predicted a collapse of the nation.
“We are here for you, for our people, and our country. If you don’t reach out to us, we will reach out to you. We wish you the most successful tenure in good health,” the Sultan stated.
The co-chair of the council, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Adewusi, the Ooni of Ife, assured President Tinubu of their readiness to collaborate on addressing the nation’s security challenges.
He urged the President not to underestimate the contributions traditional rulers could make in this area.
“There are areas we will like to work with you, one of which is security. It is time to use us the more, we are not saying we are idle…but to make your work easier use us.
“The foundation of this country today are the traditional rulers. We are here to pledge our loyalty and support. We want to work with you to ensure you leave a legacy.
“Don’t underestimate what traditional rulers can do,” he said.
President Tinubu, in turn, reassured the traditional rulers of his administration’s commitment to maintaining an open-door policy, attentively listening to the aspirations of Nigerians and translating the country’s vast potential into tangible realities.
“We are all ears. We are ready to listen at any given time. I promise you an open-door policy, and that is the path I will take. That open-door policy is for you to call me and send me any concerns that you might have. We may not always get it right 100 percent of the time, but we must strive to get it right 90 percent of the time for this country,” President Tinubu affirmed.
Addressing the concerns raised by the traditional rulers regarding the country’s challenges, President Tinubu assured them, stating, “Worry not because the country is in good hands.” He acknowledged his administration’s awareness of the expectations held by Nigerians.
Regarding the decision to remove fuel subsidies, which received support from several speakers at the meeting, President Tinubu appealed to the traditional leaders to encourage Nigerians to have faith, assuring them that fuel prices would eventually decrease.
“I am grateful that you are paying attention to what I have been doing. You have paid attention to the subsidy removal. Why should we, in good conscience, support smugglers and play Father Christmas to neighbouring countries, even though they say Christmas does not happen every day? The subsidy was the elephant that could have brought Nigeria to its knees. A country that cannot pay salaries but claims to have the potential to uplift itself—we did the right thing,” President Tinubu explained.
While acknowledging the need for critical infrastructure across the nation, President Tinubu pledged to remove any obstacles hindering the progress of the Nigerian people.
He emphasised that protecting the country’s resources and borders was essential for funding development projects.
“The concerns about capital projects arise—where will the money come from if we don’t safeguard our resources and boundaries? Development cannot occur without capital projects,” he added.
Addressing the topic of leadership within the National Assembly, President Tinubu urged the traditional rulers to advise their subjects interested in elective positions on the importance of managing their ambitions and fostering harmony within the legislative house.
He declared his willingness to collaborate with any elected representative from the National Assembly, emphasising that the Nigerian project held paramount significance for him.
“Nigeria must survive. Nigeria must develop. Nigeria must make progress,” President Tinubu declared.
Regarding security, President Tinubu reiterated his commitment to prioritising the sector until every Nigerian could sleep peacefully.
He stressed the unshakable unity and togetherness of the country, affirming that every region would receive their due share.
“We are determined to tackle youth unemployment. Only when we have prosperity in the country can we create jobs that will employ our youths,” President Tinubu asserted.
Condemning the theft of crude oil in the Niger Delta region by a small percentage of the population, President Tinubu highlighted its detrimental impact on the nation’s economic growth.
He emphasised the need to curb this sabotage and harness the country’s diversity for its prosperity, growth, and stability.
