Vice President Kashim Shettima has said the policies and reforms being implemented by President Bola Tinubu’s administration are designed to secure Nigeria’s long-term development and economic recovery, particularly for young people.
Mr Shettima stated this on Thursday while receiving the leadership of the City Boy Movement (CBM) during a courtesy visit to the Presidential Villa in Abuja.
According to a statement issued after the meeting, the vice president said the administration would continue to support Nigerian youths, whom he described as critical to the country’s future.
“Young people are the lifeblood and driving force of the nation,” Mr Shettima said, adding that the government sees them as key actors in advancing development and reform.
The vice president expressed confidence in President Tinubu’s reform agenda, describing the president as a leader willing to make difficult decisions for the country’s long-term benefit.
“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.
Mr Shettima noted that governance often requires courage and patience, especially when implementing policies that may not produce immediate results but are intended to generate lasting benefits.
He said Nigeria’s economic recovery depends not only on government policies but also on the willingness of citizens to support reforms during challenging periods.
“There is no verdict on a government more convincing than the solidarity of citizens who volunteer to stand for its success,” he said.
The vice president commended the City Boy Movement for mobilising support for government programmes and encouraging greater citizen participation in governance.
According to him, democratic systems require active engagement from citizens beyond criticism, including efforts to explain public policies and sustain public confidence in institutions.
“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.
Mr Shettima also praised Seyi Tinubu for his engagement with young Nigerians and efforts to build support networks across communities.
He said leadership requires the ability to serve both supporters and critics, stressing that democratic freedoms must be protected regardless of political differences.
“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.
Earlier, the Director-General of the City Boy Movement, Francis Shoga, commended the Tinubu administration for what he described as achievements in infrastructure and economic development.
Mr Shoga said the movement was established to support the programmes and initiatives of the administration and pledged to mobilise support for President Tinubu ahead of the 2027 presidential election.
He also praised Vice President Shettima for his contributions to the administration’s reform agenda.
“History remembers not just those who held office, but those who uplifted people, fortified institutions and sparked hope in ordinary citizens,” he said.
Also speaking, the Minister of Youth Development, Ayodele Olawande, commended the vice president for his support for young Nigerians.
Mr Olawande said the City Boy Movement has representatives across the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, adding that its national headquarters in Abuja would soon be inaugurated.
NAN
