By joshua CNNPF BACKS TINUBU’S REFORMS, URGES NIGERIANS TO ENDURE SHORT-TERM PAIN FOR LONG-TERM GAIN
… Says subsidy removal, LG autonomy are ‘surgical procedures’ Nigeria needs for future generations
The Christian Northern Nigeria Progressive Forum, CNNPF, has thrown its weight behind the economic reforms of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, saying the hardship Nigerians are facing is “the pain of surgery” that will yield results for unborn generations.
In a statement issued by its National Chairman, Elder Hon. Ibrahim Gabriel Itodo, the group acknowledged the “pockets of hardship” caused by current federal government policies but insisted that progress is visible in the president’s 3-year scorecard.
“Past leaders had their own strategies for addressing the economic system of this country, but they were only treating the symptoms. President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, is the first leader with the boldness to tackle the root causes and rescue us from the clueless and fraudulent practices that have held our economy down,” Itodo stated.
Drawing an analogy, the CNNPF chairman compared the reforms to the rehabilitation of the Zuba road axis, which caused initial traffic difficulty but now earns public praise for its quality. “Reform is a gradual process and it comes with pain. If we are patient enough to endure the pain, our dreams through this surgical procedure Nigeria is undergoing will be better for us, especially for the unborn generation,” he said.
Itodo appealed for patience, stressing that Nigeria’s rotation principle must be respected. “The North West still has another 4 years to go before the turn shifts back to the North for seamless rotation. When any process is truncated, it will always be repeated. The truth is, we must allow the process to complete naturally for a fresh start.”
The CNNPF leader also highlighted two key policy moves by the administration: the removal of fuel subsidy and the immediate granting of local government autonomy. According to him, LG autonomy will enable the third tier of government to focus on rural roads, primary healthcare, school rehabilitation, and electrification. He challenged citizens and civil society to shift focus to governors and ask questions about how allocations are being used.
“Nigerians are the most resilient people in the world. Let nobody divide us through ethnicity, religion, or sectionalism. We must rise above primordial sentiments fueled by selfishness and delusion. Let us wake up and face the economic realities as they are,” Itodo urged.
He warned against what he called “throwing the baby away with the dirty water,” cautioning the opposition and critics to tread carefully so that the country does not disintegrate. “There must be a country called Nigeria before we experiment with leadership shifts from South to North. Give peace a chance for development to thrive,” the statement concluded.
CNNPF said it stands with President Tinubu and will continue to mobilize support for policies that prioritize long-term stability over short-term relief.