President Bola Tinubu on Tuesday said the 10-year rule of the All Progressives Congress (APC) saved the country from collapse.
Tinubu said this in Owerri at the presentation of a book entitled: “One Decade of Progressive, Impactful Leadership in Nigeria.”
The forum held at the Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu International Conference Centre.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Gov. Hope Uzodimma of Imo authored the book.
The president upon arrival in the state had inaugurated the 120 km Owerri – Umuahia Road, the Assumpta twin flyover as well as the 10,000 capacity Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu Conference Centre.
In a speech, Tinubu said the book launch was significant as it reflected the collective efforts and sacrifices of progressive minds over the past 10 years, starting with late President Muhammadu Buhari.
He commended Uzodimma for his thoughtfulness, vision and achievements in infrastructure and for taking up the challenge of writing the book.
“By recording the milestones and struggles of the 10 years we have gone through, he has given Nigeria a gift.
“No nation can afford to forget its own journey and for which no leader should escape the beauty of confidence,” he stated.
The president expressed confidence that Nigeria was no longer where it was 10 years ago under the Renewed Hope Agenda.
He said following the stabilisation of the nation’s economy, it grew by 4.23 per cent in the second quarter of the year.
Tinubu said: “That growth is with purpose, not just on paper. It is real growth.
“Inflation has fallen to 20.12 per cent in August, the lowest in more than three years.
“You may not feel it yet. Be patient. I thank you for your endurance, patience and perseverance.
“Nigeria is changing for the better and you will feel the better days.”
He added that the nation’s external reserve currently stood at 42.03 billion US Dollars, the highest since 2019.
Tinubu noted that it was proof that the country was regaining its strength and credibility in the global economy.
“Our trade surplus rose by more than 44 per cent in the last quarter while manufacture export surged by 173 per cent.
“These numbers speak of a Nigeria that is producing, exporting, and competing more than ever before,” he said.
He said the Naira had steadied under the exchange reform with new investment flows restoring confidence in the economy.
The president urged critics to have confidence in the progressive government, assuring them that the economy would eventually work for all Nigerians.
He debunked reports that religious persecution was thriving in the country, insisting rather of religious harmony among Nigerians.
“The last decade was a time of change, the coming decade will be an era of renewal and stability that will ensure victory for the country,” he said.
Tinubu lauded Uzodimma for his commitment and scholarship as well as the people of the state for the warm hospitality accorded him in the state.
In his remarks, Uzodimma said the book offered an “honest writing” on APC’s journey in government from 2015 to 2025, detailing its milestones, challenges and lessons.
He further described the work as “a reference point for where the party has been and a guide for where we must go.”
The governor said he was inspired by curiosity and a duty to document APC’s performance after 10 years in office.
“The party inherited a fragile economy, deep security challenges, and a weary citizenry,” he noted.
He acknowledged that Tinubu’s “pragmatic ideas and decisive leadership inspired many of the chapters.”
Uzodimma recounted the president’s role as the “arrow head” in the 2013 formation of the APC, which “ousted an incumbent government in 2015.”
He praised Tinubu’s “courage and clarity” for shaping the progressive family and carrying the country through transitions.
“His ideas and his persistence shaped the progressive family,” the governor stated.
Uzodimma expressed surprise at the “depth and seriousness” of the party’s efforts, which he said “doesn’t always get the recognition it deserves.”
The governor stressed the party was built on values “equity, inclusion, service and discipline.”
He said that events since the book’s May 2025 finalisation showed “tangible progress,” including inflation dropping and the Naira regaining stability.
The governor cited a trade surplus for six consecutive quarters, which stood at over five trillion naira in the first quarter of the year.
For Imo, Uzodimma reported an “infrastructure renaissance” and investments in people, proudly stating that Imo workers are “happier today than they were some years ago.”
Uzodimma called on all Nigerians to “rally behind this progressive extraordinaire, President Bola Tinubu, in 2027.”
Earlier, the National Chairman of APC, Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda, said the party had proved that Nigeria needed more than previous political party had offered.
Yilwatda praised Uzodimma’s leadership and intellectual commitment, stating that he had through the book shown himself as a “stabiliser, chronicler and conscience of the progressive journey.”
The chairman also praised Tinubu for ushering a leadership that opened a new era for bold decisions that had transformed the nation’s economy.
In separate remarks, Senate President Godswill Akpabio and the Obi of Onitsha congratulated Uzodimma over the book, describing the effort as a great service to the nation.
(NAN)
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