By Chesa Chesa
The Presidency has pledged to make the implementation of its promises open to public scrutiny, urging Nigerians to assess the administration of President Bola Tinubu against its manifesto commitments and measurable delivery targets.
The Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, gave the assurance on Tuesday in Abuja at the unveiling of the All Progressives Congress (APC) manifesto, titled From Reforms to Prosperity, ahead of the 2027 general election.
Gbajabiamila said the manifesto was a binding contract between the government and the electorate, adding that Nigerians should examine both the party’s previous commitments and its performance since assuming office in 2023.
He said the document commits the government to publishing targets, assigning responsibilities and regularly reporting progress to enable citizens to determine areas of success and shortcomings.
“The manifesto commits us to publishing targets, identifying those responsible and reporting progress to the public. Citizens should be able to see where delivery is succeeding and where it is falling short,” he said.
The Chief of Staff acknowledged the economic difficulties confronting households, noting that Nigerians experiencing the effects of ongoing reforms deserved to have their concerns recognised. “Nobody should have to pretend that life is easy at the moment,” he said.
He, however, defended Tinubu’s decision to remove the petrol subsidy and reform the foreign exchange system, arguing that retaining the previous arrangements would have continued to undermine the country’s capacity to invest in development.
According to him, the President chose long-term national interest over immediate political considerations.
The manifesto is anchored on four pillars: a secure and resilient nation; improved quality of life and affordability; energy, infrastructure and economic growth; and effective and accountable governance.
These pillars are linked to the eight priority areas of the Renewed Hope Agenda and supported by four foundations: macroeconomic stability, the rule of law, institutional capability and national cohesion.
Among the targets outlined in the document are scaling up electricity generation towards 10,000 megawatts, achieving annual economic growth of six per cent by 2031 and halving youth unemployment and the number of out-of-school children. The party also promised to employ 20,000 additional teachers and expand health insurance coverage from more than 23 million enrollees to 40 per cent of the population.
It further targets functional primary healthcare centres in at least 90 per cent of facilities, compared with the current 53 per cent, alongside the delivery of 200,000 affordable homes through government and private-sector housing initiatives. The manifesto also commits the administration to installing seven million additional electricity meters.
Gbajabiamila said the APC would seek another mandate in 2027 but must be prepared to account for its record before asking Nigerians to support its continuation in office.
Also speaking, the Minister of Budget and Economic Planning and Chairman of the APC 2027 Manifesto Unveiling Committee, Atiku Bagudu, said the administration had recorded progress but acknowledged that more needed to be done to ensure that economic improvements translated into better living conditions for citizens.
He cited feedback from the private sector at the recent Nigerian Economic Summit as an indication that the administration had made progress in delivering on its commitments.
Bagudu, however, stressed that the ultimate measure of success would be the extent to which ordinary Nigerians experienced the benefits of economic growth and prosperity.
The Minister of Solid Minerals and spokesperson of the APC Presidential Campaign Council, Dele Alake, also defended the administration’s economic reforms, saying Tinubu proceeded with the removal of fuel subsidy and unification of the foreign exchange market despite the political consequences.
