President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has said that Nigeria must not toe the path of reliance on foreign donations to tackle its economic hardship.
While addressing a joint session of the national assembly in Abuja on Wednesday, Tinubu said no institution or personality would help the country grow except the citizens.
The president noted that without the national assembly, he would not have found a path to the presidency.
“You sang out the latest national anthem, ‘Nigeria we hail thee’. This is our diversity, representing all people, and how we pledge together to be brothers and sisters,” Tinubu said.
“Without this house, I probably would not have found a path to the presidency; I started it all from here. That is why I have given that respect to you this morning and will continue to collaborate with you to build our country together.
“We have no other choice. No other institution or personality will help us, except we do it ourselves.
“No amount of aid from foreign countries can help us. Let us work together to build our nation, charting a new path.”
Tinubu thanked the lawmakers for “building up this institution to this level.”
“Our friends, old and new, to every Nigerian, I say congratulations on 25 years of unbroken democracy,” he said.
“You are the foremost leaders who speak for our people and have been at the forefront of this struggle.”
The president added that the country’s democracy must be nurtured “so that our children and great-grandchildren will be assured of prosperity, progress, and development”.
