President Bola Tinubu says his administration will focus on addressing poverty through the provision of job opportunities for youths and quality education for all Nigerian children.

Receiving the members of the National Working Committee (NWC) of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Lagos on Thursday, December 28, 2023, Tinubu called on the leadership of the party to target more youths and women in its e-registration and digital membership validation exercise scheduled to be completed in the first quarter of 2024.

The president, who expressed support for the establishment of the National Institute of Progressive Studies by the APC, said the NIPS would help to conduct diligent research and educate all party members on the principles of democracy and good governance while providing a distinct identity for the party.

He said: “Democracy has faced challenges in the past, but I believe in a promising future for our country. We will deliver it. I am committed to supporting a strong and ideologically-determined democracy that is progressive, inclusive, and focused on eliminating poverty while providing quality education for our children.

“Collaboration with various government arms is crucial, and I commend the leadership of our party for working hard to promote these essential ideals.

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“I stand solidly with you in the advancement of the progressive ideological stance of our party and we will pursue it with vigour.”

Expressing concern on the alarming figure of out-of-school children in the country, Tinubu said: “We must address this issue by establishing more schools, recruiting teachers, and providing at least one meal a day for the school children, aligning with the progressive ideology we aim to pursue.”

President Tinubu thanked the APC members for the show of support to him during the campaigns, the electoral victory, and with the affirmation of his presidency by the Supreme Court.

“It has been a while since we have had the opportunity to come together, especially since the Supreme Court ruling. I had hoped for a gathering, but the demanding tasks of my office that we fought for have called for increased focus, dedication, and time,” Tinubu said.

Speaking, the National Chairman of the APC, Dr Abdullahi Ganduje, informed Tinubu that plans were being put in place by the APC NWC to ensure the success of the party in the by-elections into national and state legislative houses in February 2024.

The Star