Former Akwa Ibom State Governor, Udom Emmanuel, has endorsed President Bola Tinubu for a second term in office, saying his support is driven by national interest rather than political party affiliation.
Speaking during an interview with Arise News monitored by The News Chronicle, Emmanuel said the focus should be on what is best for Nigeria and its people, arguing that the President deserves the opportunity to complete the economic reforms initiated by his administration.
“The issue is not about party; the issue is about Nigeria and the people,” the former governor said.
He noted that economic reforms often take time before their benefits become visible to the general public, adding that many Nigerians may not yet fully appreciate the long-term impact of the policies being implemented by the Tinubu administration.
“Economic reforms do take time to yield results that everybody will see or that somebody who is not an economist will easily understand”. Emmanuel said he was looking beyond political interests to the welfare of over 200 million Nigerians.
The former governor also appealed for empathy, saying that if he were in the President’s position, he would equally seek another term to complete his vision for the country.
“If I were to be in the same position as the President, would I ask for a second term? The answer is yes,” he said.
Describing Tinubu as “the president of my country” and “our father,” Emmanuel said the President has demonstrated vision through the macroeconomic reforms introduced since assuming office.
“He’s in the saddle, he has the vision. Look at the macroeconomic reforms he has made. People might not understand them now, but with time they will begin to see the positive results,” he stated.
Drawing from biblical teachings, Emmanuel said some actions are only fully understood after they have produced results, expressing confidence that the administration’s reforms would ultimately benefit the country.
He added that if he had been in Tinubu’s position, he would also have wanted Nigerians to support him in completing his plans for national development.
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“What you would like others to do to you, do the same to them. I would have loved people to support me to complete what I had in mind to do. So, if I see that the vision is good for the country and the man has the capacity to achieve it, then why not?” he said.
Emmanuel’s endorsement comes amid growing political realignments ahead of the 2027 general elections, with debates intensifying over President Tinubu’s economic reforms and prospects for a second term.
