Lalong Advocates For Tinubu’s Return In 2027 To Complete Key Reforms

Simon Lalong, a former governor of Plateau State and speaker of the Plateau State House of Assembly, has urged Nigerians to elect President Bola Tinubu again in 2027, claiming that he should be allowed to finish the extensive economic reforms his administration has started.

Lalong urged Nigerians to evaluate the administration’s course with an awareness that the full advantages of such reforms would take time to manifest, noting that Tinubu had shown the guts to make tough choices, most notably the elimination of the gasoline subsidy.

Speaking as a guest speaker at a national forum of former Nigerian State House of Assembly presiding officers with the theme “Bold Leadership, Bold Reforms: From Subsidy to Renewed Hope”

Lalong said: “President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has exemplified those bold steps and come 2027, Nigerians will reward him to complete the great work.”

“For decades, Nigeria consumed what we did not produce. We succeeded in making our future children pay for cheap petrol,” he said.

Lalong added: “Everyone knew the truth but no leader had the courage to confront it.”

“It was not an easy decision. It was not a politically convenient decision. But sometimes, leadership is tested not by the decisions that are easy to make, but by the courage to make decisions that the moment demands.”

“The real significance of subsidy removal therefore is not simply that one subsidy disappeared. It is that Nigeria has been compelled to confront a fundamental question: how do we move from consuming public resources to investing these resources in productive capacity for our nation?”

“Our duty today goes beyond assessment. Our duty is to be ambassadors of this difficult but necessary reform,” he said.

“President Tinubu has done his part by taking the bold decision. Our part is to help our people understand that the pains of today are the gains of tomorrow.”

“We must tell Nigerians that bold leadership is not about being popular today, it is about being right for society.”

““We must invest in agriculture, manufacturing, infrastructure, education, energy, and technology.”

“This is one of those periods when President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has chosen the path of reform. The road has required difficult decisions, but the responsibility of leadership is not to avoid every difficulty. It is to confront the structural challenges that have held the country back and begin the work of building something more sustainable.”

“The journey from subsidy to Renewed Hope is a journey from dependency to productivity, from consumption to investment, and from short-term fix to long-term economic transformation,” he said.

“It is a journey that requires courage from the executive, responsibility from the legislatures, discipline across government and patience from the people.”

He added: “President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has demonstrated the courage to begin this difficult journey. Our responsibility is to ensure that reforms succeed, that their gains are consolidated, and that Nigerians emerge stronger, more productive, more prosperous.”

Lalong concluded with a call for continued commitment to the reform agenda, saying: “The time for bold leadership is now. The time for bold reform is now. And the time to build a stronger, more productive and more prosperous Nigeria is now.”

This is simply Lalong’s opinion, and I believe everyone is entitled to have their own preferred candidate for the 2027 election. Ultimately, the choice lies with the voters, and many will have their own perspectives on who should lead and when they should return to complete their initiatives.