President Bola Tinubu has appealed to Nigerians to give his administration another opportunity to complete its reforms and address what he described as longstanding problems and missed opportunities that have held the country back.
The appeal comes as political activity builds ahead of Nigeria's 2027 presidential election, with Tinubu seeking another term under the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Recent reports have circulated the message that the President is asking Nigerians for a “second chance” to correct past abnormalities. The wording has gained significant attention on social media, although the more directly documented remarks from the presidency have focused on giving the administration more time to complete its work and correct mistakes inherited from previous governments.
Tinubu says past mistakes are being corrected
Tinubu's message was conveyed by House of Representatives Speaker Tajudeen Abbas during a special Juma'at prayer at the National Mosque in Abuja ahead of Nigeria's 66th Independence anniversary.
According to reports, the President argued that Nigeria's current challenges were accumulated over several administrations and that his government was working to address previous mistakes and missed opportunities.
He urged Nigerians not to lose hope, saying peace and development were gradually returning to the country.
The President's message was also that the sacrifices Nigerians have made as a result of his administration's reforms would eventually produce better outcomes.
He called for more time for the government to complete the programmes it has started.
2027 election gives the appeal political significance
Tinubu's request comes at a politically important moment, with Nigeria moving toward the 2027 general election.
The President has been formally seeking another term, making his appeal for continued support part of a broader effort to defend his administration's record and convince voters that his economic reforms require more time to deliver their intended results.
Reuters reported in August that Tinubu's re-election campaign faces scrutiny over whether Nigerians are better off after more than three years of APC rule. The report highlighted continued concerns over living costs and insecurity, while noting that the administration's reforms have also been credited with improving investor confidence and addressing some structural economic problems.
Economic reforms remain at the centre of Tinubu's argument
Since taking office in May 2023, Tinubu has implemented some of Nigeria's most significant economic policy changes in decades.
Among them were the removal of the petrol subsidy and changes to the foreign-exchange regime.
The administration has consistently defended the policies as necessary measures to correct structural weaknesses in the Nigerian economy and create the conditions for longer-term growth.
However, the reforms also triggered a sharp increase in the cost of living, with households and businesses facing higher transportation, food and energy costs.
That tension is likely to remain one of the central issues in the 2027 election: whether Nigerians should judge the government primarily by the hardship associated with the reforms or by the longer-term economic improvements the administration says are emerging.
Government says the sacrifices will produce results
Tinubu's administration has increasingly argued that the most difficult phase of its reforms has passed.
In his October 1 Independence Day address, the President said four years could not erase problems that had accumulated over generations. He presented the removal of fuel subsidies and the foreign-exchange reforms as difficult but necessary measures intended to put the economy on a more sustainable path.
The administration has pointed to economic growth, lower inflation, stronger foreign reserves and improvements in oil production as evidence that its policies are beginning to produce results.
Tinubu has also warned against returning to policies such as the old petrol subsidy system, arguing that doing so could undermine the gains made through his reforms.
Nigerians face a choice in 2027
The President's appeal places the responsibility for judging the administration's record squarely before Nigerian voters.
Supporters of Tinubu argue that abandoning the reforms before they mature could reverse economic progress and return the country to the problems that necessitated them.
Critics, however, point to the immediate impact of the policies on household purchasing power, food prices, transportation costs and living standards. Reuters reported that public dissatisfaction over economic hardship and insecurity remains a major challenge for Tinubu's re-election campaign.
The debate is therefore likely to become increasingly intense as the 2027 election approaches.
For Tinubu, the message is straightforward: the problems Nigeria inherited were accumulated over many years, and his administration should be given another opportunity to finish the reforms it has begun.
For voters, the question will be whether the progress promised by those reforms has been sufficient to justify another term.
With political parties and candidates already positioning themselves for the next election, the President's request for a second chance is likely to become one of the central arguments surrounding the 2027 presidential contest.
