‘Tinubu Must Stay’: President’s Men Fire Back at Atiku, List GDP, NELFUND, CNG Gains

Supporters of President Bola Tinubu, under the platform Tinubu Must Stay (TMS), have rejected opposition calls for his removal in the 2027 election, citing Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth, the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND), and Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) conversions as reasons he should remain in office.

The group’s response follows the African Democratic Congress (ADC) adopting “Tinubu Must Go” as a campaign slogan after the reported arrest of five youths in Borno State wearing T-shirts with the phrase.

On Thursday, ADC presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar ended his Independence Day State of the Nation address by repeating “Tinubu must go” three times, rejecting the President’s claim that Nigeria had entered an “age of prosperity.”

In a statement signed by its National Convener, Engr. Ibrahim Uba, TMS said it was formed by citizens who support the continuity of the Tinubu administration and seek to advance their case through facts, data, and public engagement.

The group acknowledged that the President’s reforms, including the removal of the petrol subsidy and foreign-exchange adjustments, had imposed substantial costs on households through higher living, transportation, and energy expenses.

It stressed, however, that public discussion should examine the administration’s full record, including measurable outcomes, unresolved problems, and the longer-term objectives of the reforms.

On the economy, TMS cited National Bureau of Statistics data showing real GDP growth of 4.43 per cent in the second quarter of 2026, up from 4.23 per cent in the corresponding quarter of 2025 and 3.89 per cent in the first quarter of 2026.

Headline inflation stood at 15.39 per cent in August 2026, down slightly from 15.43 per cent in July, though the group noted that prices had not fallen and households still faced rising costs, albeit at a slower rate.It highlighted that NELFUND had, by June, benefited more than 1.5 million students, with over ₦282 billion disbursed.

The 3 Million Technical Talent (3MTT) programme had trained more than 160,000 fellows across three cohorts, with about 1.87 million people registered in its broader pipeline.

On transportation, TMS said more than 120,000 vehicles had been converted to CNG, supported by over 400 certified conversion centres and more than 90 refuelling stations.

It cautioned that the expanding infrastructure must still translate into meaningful and widespread reductions in transport costs for Nigerians.

On housing, the group stated that the Renewed Hope Housing Programme and Federal Housing Authority projects had delivered more than 10,000 housing units nationwide, with more than 300,000 jobs projected or associated with the programme.

TMS emphasised that statistics do not erase hardship and that government programmes should be judged by their actual impact on citizens rather than announcements or expenditure alone.

It said its purpose was not to deny Nigeria’s difficulties but to ensure public debate also recognises documented positive interventions and allows competing claims to be tested against evidence.