APC hails Tinubu at 74, defends reforms as ‘bold, transformative’

The All Progressives Congress has congratulated President Bola Tinubu on his 74th birthday, with the party’s National Chairman, Professor Nentawe Yilwatda, describing him as the architect of a new Nigeria and defending his administration’s controversial economic reforms as necessary sacrifices for long-term national prosperity.

In a statement issued on behalf of the party’s National Working Committee, Yilwatda said Tinubu came into office at a critical moment in the country’s history and had shown statesmanship by confronting longstanding structural distortions in the economy rather than deferring difficult decisions.

“We acknowledge that meaningful reform often comes with temporary discomfort, but we are convinced that the sacrifices of today will yield a stronger, more prosperous and more equitable Nigeria for present and future generations,” Yilwatda said.

The APC chairman credited the Tinubu administration with stabilising the economy, restoring investor confidence, strengthening fiscal discipline, and expanding social interventions.

He also highlighted the administration’s focus on infrastructure renewal, youth empowerment, energy security, and digital innovation as evidence of a forward-looking governance agenda.

On national security, Yilwatda said the administration had demonstrated determination to preserve unity and build a more stable federation.

“President Tinubu’s leadership style continues to reflect firmness, clarity of purpose and political wisdom,” he said, adding that history would remember the president’s courage at a defining moment in Nigeria’s journey.

Tinubu, who has governed since May 2023, has faced widespread public criticism over the economic hardship triggered by his removal of the petrol subsidy and the liberalisation of the foreign exchange market shortly after taking office — policies the APC continues to frame as bold but unavoidable reforms.