THISDAY, Arise TV name Tinubu Man of the Year 2024

News media organization, THISDAY and Arise Television have honoured President Bola Tinubu for his resilience, bold reforms and determination to take tough decisions since assuming office, naming him their Man of the Year 2024.

“On a balance of scales and given all considerations, it is hard to find anyone, who could fairly challenge President Bola Tinubu, to the THISDAY Man of the Year commemoration,” the media outlet wrote.

“Determined and unfazed in the face of mounting challenges and attendant hardships, the president marches on with his audacious reforms to change Nigeria.

“In his first and only media interview, he told the nation “you can’t be doing the same thing and expect different outcomes.” With that, he served the nation notice of his resolve to stick to his reforms.

“The president, who ran his election campaign on the mantra of emi lo kan (it’s my turn to be president), has waltzed through some of the most troubling phases of his less than two years old presidency.”

It said from merely providing leadership to introducing very unpopular but promising reforms, Tinubu has proven to be that daring and gritty leader, who is driven more by convictions of his choices than pandering to sheer sentiments or the crowd.

According to THISDAY, although the removal of subsidy from petroleum had been settled by the previous administration of Muhammadu Buhari, and as a matter of legislation by the ninth National Assembly, owning and managing the consequences of that choice have been Tinubu’s hardest job since he took over as president.

It added that the floating of the naira to enable it find its level against other currencies, particularly against the dollar and by extension, engender the stability of the market, was an equally difficult decision that Tinubu had to make.

President Tinubu, meanwhile, recently said that he does not regret putting a stop to the payment of fuel subsidy.

Tinubu stated this on Monday, December 23, 2024 during the first presidential chat with the media since he assumed office.

“I don’t regret removing the fuel subsidy at all. That was the only option we had to stop the smugglers from continuing their illegal trade,” he said.

“Nigeria had become Father Christmas to some other West African countries due to the payment of fuel subsidy.

“We had to put a stop to it so that we can safeguard the future of our children and the unborn generations. I don’t regret removing the fuel subsidy at all.”

The president, during his inauguration on May 29, 2023, had said that the era of fuel subsidy was gone.

The price of a litre of fuel thereafter increased from N200 to N600 before it rose to N1,200 last year.

The increase in the price of a litre of fuel has caused the prices of food items to soar to an unbearable level for common Nigerians, who have been barely managing to feed.