Oct 9, 2026

“Don’t Throw Me Out Yet” — Tinubu Pleads for Second Chance to Finish the Job

By Afolabi Olaiya Idowu in politics

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Abuja, Nigeria—October 10, 2026—President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has appealed to Nigerians for a second chance to correct what he described as “past abnormalities,” urging citizens to allow his administration more time to complete the work it has started.

The appeal, widely circulated in a video clip shared by THEWILL Newspaper, comes as the president intensifies messages of continuity ahead of the 2027 general elections.

In the remarks, Tinubu framed his government’s efforts as a deliberate attempt to address long-standing structural problems and missed opportunities left by previous administrations.

The Core Message

Speaking in a setting that included senior government officials and traditional attire, the president acknowledged the difficulties Nigerians have faced while insisting that the country is on the right path.

He emphasized that his administration is actively correcting the cumulative mistakes of the past and asked for the opportunity to finish the “good work” already underway.

Similar language featured prominently in messages delivered around Nigeria’s 66th Independence Anniversary celebrations in late September 2026.

Through the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, Tinubu told worshippers at a special prayer session at the National Mosque in Abuja that peace and development were gradually returning.

He urged citizens not to lose hope, declaring that “Nigerians have finished making sacrifices for this country to be great again.”

“We should give this government more opportunity for it to come back and finish the good work,” the message stated, according to multiple reports.

Context of Reforms and Hardship

Tinubu’s call lands against the backdrop of the far-reaching economic reforms introduced since 2023, including the removal of fuel subsidy and foreign exchange unification.

While the administration points to signs of stabilization—improved growth figures, stronger reserves, and reduced oil theft—many Nigerians continue to struggle with high living costs, food prices, and economic pressure.

In his full Independence Day address on October 1, 2026, the president expanded on the theme, arguing that generational problems cannot be solved in a single four-year term.

He described the first three years as a period of necessary course correction and said the nation was now entering an “age of prosperity.”

The appeal for a second chance is widely interpreted as part of the broader campaign for re-election. Tinubu, who has already secured the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential nomination, has repeatedly argued that continuity is essential to consolidate reforms and deliver tangible benefits to ordinary citizens.

Opposition figures have rejected the narrative, insisting that the hardships experienced under the current government outweigh the claimed progress and that voters should look carefully at the record rather than promises of future gains.

As the political temperature rises, Tinubu’s direct plea for more time to “correct past abnormalities” is likely to remain a central talking point in the months ahead. Whether Nigerians accept the invitation for a second chance will ultimately be decided at the ballot box in 2027.