A pro-President Bola Tinubu advocacy group, Tinubu Must Stay (TMS), has responded to opposition calls for the president to leave office, citing economic, education, transport and housing programmes it says should form part of the assessment of his administration.
The group’s position came shortly after African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar repeatedly called for Tinubu’s removal during his Independence Day address in Abuja on Thursday. Atiku rejected the administration’s claim of economic progress and urged Nigerians to pursue political change through the ballot.
According to Vanguard, TMS, in a statement signed by its National Convener, Ibrahim Uba, said the organisation was established to make a case for continuity through data, public engagement and information on government programmes.
The group acknowledged that policies including petrol subsidy removal and foreign exchange reforms had placed additional pressure on households, particularly through higher transportation, energy and living costs. It, however, argued that such challenges should be considered alongside measurable outcomes from the administration’s policies.
TMS cited National Bureau of Statistics figures showing real Gross Domestic Product growth of 4.43 per cent in the second quarter of 2026, compared with 4.23 per cent in the corresponding period of 2025 and 3.89 per cent in the first quarter of 2026. It also pointed to a marginal decline in headline inflation from 15.43 per cent in July to 15.39 per cent in August.
On education and skills development, the group said more than 1.5 million students had benefited from the Nigerian Education Loan Fund programme, with over ₦282 billion disbursed by June. It also cited the 3 Million Technical Talent programme, which it said had trained more than 160,000 fellows across three cohorts.
TMS further said more than 120,000 vehicles had been converted to Compressed Natural Gas, with over 400 certified conversion centres and more than 90 refuelling stations supporting the initiative. The group, however, acknowledged that the infrastructure would need to translate into lower transportation costs for Nigerians to feel its broader impact.
The group also highlighted housing initiatives under the Renewed Hope Housing Programme and Federal Housing Authority projects, claiming that more than 10,000 housing units had been delivered across the country, with associated employment opportunities.
TMS said the figures it presented did not erase the economic difficulties experienced by Nigerians, arguing that government programmes should be assessed by their actual impact rather than announcements or expenditure alone. It added that it would continue to make its case for continuity through what it described as peaceful, factual and democratic engagement.
