Why Tinubu’s Programs and Policies Benefit Youth – Shettima

By Johnbosco Agbakwuru

Vice President Kashim Shettima said that President Bola Tinubu’s programmes and policies largely favour Nigerian youths, arguing that the administration brings modern ideas to address 21st‑century challenges.

Shettima explained that the Tinubu administration will continue to back young people, whom he describes as the nation’s lifeblood and the driving force behind future development and reform.

The comments were made on Thursday during a courtesy visit to the Presidential Villa in Abuja, where Shettima met with leaders of the City Boy Movement.

He reiterated his confidence in President Tinubu’s reform agenda, calling him a leader ready to make tough decisions for long‑term national gains.

“Our eponymous City Boy, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, is a man ahead of his time, a man of progressive conviction who summons modern ideas to meet the problems of our twenty‑first century,” he said.

Shettima noted that governance requires courage, patience, and a willingness to pursue policies that may not bring immediate applause but create lasting value.

He added that Nigeria’s economic recovery depends not only on government policy but also on citizens’ active belief and mobilisation to defend reform during difficult times.

He argued that democracy cannot survive on grievance alone; citizen participation is essential to sustain governments beyond the ballot box.

Addressing members of the movement led by Seyi Tinubu, the Vice President said public trust is strengthened when citizens voluntarily support policies and institutions they believe can improve national outcomes.

“There is no verdict on a government more convincing than the solidarity of citizens who volunteer to stand for its success,” he said.

He observed that such support becomes even more significant when it comes from young Nigerians who choose engagement over cynicism and remain invested in the country’s future.

The Vice President praised the City Boy Movement for mobilising citizens nationwide and encouraging broader participation in governance, stating that democratic systems cannot endure on criticism alone but require citizens willing to organise, explain public policy and maintain public confidence.

“We could not be prouder of the pace you have set in mobilising Nigerians to stand with their government, to stand for the promise of the nation, and to stand in defence of the hard choices required to save this country from inherited decline,” he said.

Specifically, VP Shettima praised Seyi Tinubu for sustaining engagement with young Nigerians and building support structures across communities.

He said successful leadership demands the capacity to govern both supporters and critics without resentment. “Politics is the discipline of leading those who admire you and those who despise you alike. You are not a leader until you accept this burden without bitterness,” he stated.

The Vice President said the administration remains committed to protecting democratic freedoms and maintaining a political environment where citizens are free to express support or dissent.

“This is the democracy we have come to protect: a free home for those who support us and for those who oppose us, a place where we defend the voices raised against us and guard the freedom even of our critics,” he said.

VP Shettima also urged members of the movement to maintain discipline and internal cohesion, stressing that enduring institutions are built through consultation, trust and commitment to a shared purpose.

“Movements grow by discipline. They survive by trust. They mature by consultation. They endure by loyalty to a common mission larger than any personal ambition,” he said.

Earlier, the Director‑General of the City Boys Movement, Hon. Francis Shoga, applauded the Tinubu administration’s achievements in infrastructure and economic development, saying the reforms are yielding tremendous results.

He vowed that members of the movement would go to every corner of Nigeria to mobilise support for the president’s re‑election in 2027.

Shoga explained that the City Boy Movement was founded on a clear mission to support the Tinubu administration’s programmes and initiatives, raise awareness of its achievements, and mobilise support for the forthcoming presidential poll.

He praised Vice President Shettima for his dynamism and contribution to the country’s development through the Tinubu administration’s reform policies.

“It is a solemn opportunity to recognise service, leadership, loyalty and unwavering commitment to the progress of our great nation. Your Excellency, history remembers not just those who held office, but those who uplifted people, fortified institutions and sparked hope in ordinary citizens,” he noted.

On his part, the Minister of Youth Development, Hon. Ayodele Olawande, commended Vice President Shettima for his unwavering commitment and support for young Nigerians.

“Your Excellency, the Vice President, the father of the young people, thank you for giving us this opportunity to be with you today. It is a very great privilege for us. We don’t take it for granted. We see it as a home because all of us are for you,” the Minister said.

Olawande noted that the City Boy Movement has representatives in all states of the federation, while its national headquarters will soon be commissioned in Abuja.

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