Tony Blair Declares Support For Tinubu’s Administration
During a visit to President-elect Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu at the Defence House in Abuja, former British Prime Minister Sir Tony Blair expressed his willingness to support Tinubu’s upcoming administration and ensure its success.
This was disclosed in a statement signed by Abdulaziz Abdulaziz for the Office of the President-elect.
Blair, who founded the Tony Blair Institute for Global Change, stated that his institute would gladly collaborate with the Tinubu administration, particularly in prioritizing its objectives and achieving results. He mentioned that since leaving his role as the UK prime minister, he has been actively assisting governments worldwide in fulfilling their mandates.
Highlighting the Blair Institute’s existing project in Nigeria, he emphasized the importance of meeting with Nigeria’s incoming president to gain a clear understanding of the administration’s priorities and effectively contribute to their realization.
“We would like to help in any way with your administration. We only need to know what the leadership priorities are and help in how to actualise them,” Blair told President-elect Tinubu.
Tony Blair praised Tinubu’s campaign emphasis on crucial aspects such as security, the economy, agriculture, and power, recognizing the interconnectedness of these areas as vital for societal progress.
Blair expressed confidence in the potential for the Tinubu administration to receive the necessary support from investors, given the demonstrated interest in investing in Nigeria. This support, he believed, could contribute to driving economic development in the country.
Nevertheless, Blair acknowledged the challenging nature of the task faced by Tinubu and other leaders, particularly in light of the ongoing global turmoil.
In response, President-elect Tinubu conveyed his gratitude to Blair for his visit and the willingness to collaborate with his administration.
He highlighted the alignment of their visions with regards to priority areas, emphasizing the significance of addressing investment challenges and the crucial role of social investment in combating poverty.
“Being in government today anywhere in the world is tough. You have things happening around the world which affect you and for which you can’t do anything much,” he said.
“Yes, we are challenged. But where is our courage? We can eliminate ignorance, diseases and poverty in Africa. We must work hard to ensure democracy works for our people,” Tinubu said.
“We have to invest more, put technology in place and keep terrorists at bay because without effective security, there is no guarantee investors will come,” he added.
The president-elect pledged to create a favorable environment that would promote investment and generate opportunities for the population.
During the meeting, Tinubu was accompanied by notable figures including the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila; Vice President-elect, Senator Kashim Shettima; member of the Tinubu Transition Team, Mr. Wale Edun; former Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu; Senator representing Lagos East Senatorial District, Adetokunbo Abiru; and the Executive Secretary of the National Sugar Development Council, Mr. Zacch Adedeji.
