By Prevail Inegbenose
A member of the National Working Committee of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Aare Tolu Bankole, has expressed confidence that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu will lead Nigeria to what he described as the “promised land” if the administration’s reforms are sustained.
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Bankole, in a statement issued in Abuja on Wednesday, welcomed President Tinubu back to Nigeria after his working vacation abroad and congratulated Nigerians at home and in the diaspora on the country’s 66th Independence Anniversary.
He described the anniversary as an opportunity to celebrate the resilience, enterprise and unity of Nigerians, while stressing that nation-building requires sacrifice, patriotism and collective responsibility.
According to him, the President’s return provides an opportunity for the administration to focus more closely on implementing its policies and ensuring that economic improvements translate into tangible benefits for citizens.
Bankole cited recent economic indicators, including Nigeria’s 3.89 per cent real GDP growth in the first quarter of 2026, compared with 3.13 per cent in the corresponding quarter of 2025. Manufacturing also recorded 3.29 per cent year-on-year growth during the period, according to the National Bureau of Statistics.
He also noted the decision of the Central Bank of Nigeria’s Monetary Policy Committee in September to reduce the Monetary Policy Rate to 23 per cent, while inflation stood at 15.39 per cent. The CBN confirmed the 23 per cent MPR decision at its September 21–22, 2026 meeting.
Bankole said the figures should be viewed alongside the government’s broader economic reforms, including foreign exchange reforms, the Petroleum Industry Act, Nigeria Tax Act 2025 and the banking recapitalisation programme.
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He said the objective of the reforms should ultimately be to create greater stability for businesses, strengthen investor confidence, expand employment opportunities, improve access to credit and increase resources available for infrastructure and social programmes.
“Transformation does not happen overnight. It takes time, discipline and consistency for foundations to become prosperity that people can feel,” Bankole said.
He urged Nigerians to support the APC-led administration in forthcoming elections, arguing that continuity would enable the government to consolidate its economic policies and translate them into broader improvements in living standards.
“The goal is simple: the sacrifices of today must lead to real, measurable prosperity for every household tomorrow,” he said.
Bankole said Nigeria was at a defining stage of its development, adding that sustained implementation of economic policies, stronger institutions and productive investment would be critical to determining the long-term impact of the ongoing reforms.
He further said President Tinubu’s return meant a renewed focus on governance and implementation.
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“President Tinubu has returned to more work, not less. The task ahead is to build on what is working, fix what needs fixing, and make sure growth reaches everyone,” he said.
Bankole expressed his belief that Nigeria could achieve greater prosperity if the country sustained the reform programme and supported efforts aimed at improving economic opportunities for citizens.