The President spoke on Monday, October 19, 2026, at a forum titled “Together till 2027: An Evening with Original City Boy,” held at the Old Banquet Hall of the Presidential Villa in Abuja.
The event was organised by the City Boy Movement, a political group campaigning for Tinubu’s re-election, in collaboration with the “Relax, Tinubu Is Fixing Nigeria” movement.
Responding to opposition calls for the reinstatement of petrol subsidy, Tinubu likened his administration’s reform agenda to the biblical account of Moses leading the Israelites out of Egypt, insisting that Nigeria must not return to its previous economic policies.
“You cannot ask Moses to go back to Egypt. We wake up with ideas, original thoughts and deep thinking to move this country forward. With your energy and support, we will never go back to Egypt,” he said.
Tinubu acknowledged that the past three years had been challenging but maintained that his administration’s policies were steering the economy in the right direction.
“The road we have walked these past three years has not been easy. We took hard decisions,” he said.
The President explained that his administration inherited substantial financial obligations, including outstanding payments to airlines, which required urgent attention. He also criticised the country’s dependence on borrowing and currency printing, arguing that Nigeria could not achieve sustainable economic growth by continually accumulating debt.
Tinubu highlighted reforms to the tax system and efforts to improve university education, recalling his pledge to address the recurring strikes by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU).
He disclosed that more than one million students had benefited from financial assistance through the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) following the signing of the Student Loan Act.
The President also commended young supporters for defending his administration across communities, university campuses and social media, particularly during periods when its policies faced widespread criticism.
Praising the organisational structure of the City Boy Movement, Tinubu said the group had established a membership network spanning states, local government areas, wards and polling units. He added that the movement operated a call centre to engage young Nigerians and a community outreach initiative known as City Boy Care.
“You did not just gather people. You built a structure with millions of real, verifiable members,” he said.
Tinubu also praised his son, Seyi, the movement’s patron, for his role in mobilising and organising young people without seeking public office or political recognition.
“You did it humbly. You did not ask for a title or an office. You went to the young people, your age mates, your group. You listened to them and organised them,” the President said.
He urged Seyi and other members of the movement to strengthen their commitment to public service and serve as role models for future generations. Tinubu assured young Nigerians that they would remain central to the country’s development, stressing that the nation’s future belonged to them.
“The future this country does not belong to me, and it does not belong to my generation. It belongs to you,” he said.
With the 2027 general elections approaching, Tinubu called on members of the movement to encourage eligible young Nigerians to obtain their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) and participate in the electoral process.
He also urged his supporters to campaign on the basis of ideas, explaining his administration’s achievements and future plans to voters.
“Nigeria must win this election before any candidate does. You are not campaigning for me. You are campaigning for your own future,” he said.
