Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Senator Abubakar Atiku Bagudu, has said the current administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu does not dwell in blame-games, adding that the government is open to every suggestion to deliver.
The former Kebbi state governor also said the Renewed Hope Agenda is a recognition that the nation was not where it supposed to be when the President tookover, hence the need to take all the necessary courageous steps already taken, pleasant or otherwise in the interest of the Nation.
Speaking at Saturday in Abuja at the graduation ceremony of the 22nd cohort of the Centre for Leadership Strategy and Development (Centre LSD) School of Leadership, titled “Leadership and Economic Development,” Senator Bagudu insisted that President Tinubu took some right actions at the beginning of this administration as he couldn’t have been living in self denial since the economy which was at its lowest ebb could not sustain the retention of fuel subsidy to the detriment of the well-being of the citizenry.
The minister refered to Nigeria’s GDP growth which is on the rise, with the World Bank projecting a 3.7% increase in 2025, to buttress his assertion.
He noted that Nigeria is on the right tract towards achieving sustainable growth and development, adding that it would be hasty to compare the level of growth by the country to Rwanda and Singapore since the country is under a constitutional democracy and a free market economy.
The Minister said: “One thing I can assure this gathering is that we, under president Bola Ahmed Tinubu, we don’t have all the answers, we are humble by any interrogation, we are humble by every suggestion that can help us to get it right.
“Our Renewed Hope Agenda is a recognition that we are not where we want to be when we took over but we are not going to play blame-game and to get to where we should be or face right direction we should take all courageous decisions pleasant or otherwise, and we took them and we believe the results, some of which are in public domain already.
“But because we have done well does not mean we cannot do better and we are humble to acknowledge that. So we believe we have a strategy, we believe the choices we have made in the last two years are paying results. For example, the revenue going to sub nationals have literally tripled.
“There are some states currently that their domestic debts have dropped by eighty percent because the federal government was very active in ensuring that all refund, payment and debts intended to states have been cleared. So that had improved physical space for the two tiers of government but we also appreciate that we need to do more.”
Founding Executive Director of Centre LSD, Dr. Otive Igbuzor, lamented that Nigeria and Africa stand at a crossroads as a result of leadership failure.
According to him, Nations that are prosperous today are those that had leaders who provided a clear vision, built strong institutions, and mobilised citizens towards productive engagement.
“We have abundant human and natural resources, yet poverty, unemployment, and inequality persist. The paradox is stark: Nigerians excel globally—in medicine, academia, technology, and business—yet we struggle with poor governance and economic underperformance at home. The missing link is effective political leadership.”
He called on the graduands to step out as ambassadors of transformational leadership, urging them to ensure that their leadership journey is anchored on character, competence, courage, and compassion.
“Lead with integrity even when it is costly. Be a voice for justice and equity. Be strategic yet grounded in the needs of your communities.
“I urge all of us – leaders, citizens, institutions – to embrace the call to rebuild Nigeria and Africa. Let us not surrender to despair. Let us commit to values. Let us commit to leadership. Let us commit to action.”
In his own, the Executive Director of Centre LSD, Mr. Monday Osasah, said
the 22nd graduation ceremony brings the total number of Centre LSD Leadership School graduates to an impressive 2,950, adding that the Centre will sustain efforts in the leadership development journey.
“The Centre LSD Leadership Schools are run free of charge to ensure that those who cannot afford such high-quality education elsewhere have access to this transformative opportunity. This initiative would not have been possible without the selfless contributions of our lecturers and the tireless efforts of the leadership school team, who have dedicated their Saturdays to this noble cause.”
In her remarks, Regional Director, West Africa, Ford Foundation, Dr. Chichi Aniagolu, acknowledged that the mission to build strategic leadership for sustainable development by Centre LSD” is a clear and important goal, one that resonates deeply with us at the Ford Foundation.
“The work of this center, powered by dedicated lecturers who believe in the power of community, is a true model of leadership. It demonstrates a commitment to nurturing the next generation of changemakers and to creating spaces where potential can be realized, and dreams can be nurtured. “
In his lecture, the Keynote speaker, Dr. Benson Uwheru, asked policies makers to adopt ones that promote inclusive growth, foster public private partnerships for sustainable growth.