President Bola Tinubu has declared that he will approve only what Nigeria can afford to pay as minimum wage.

The President stated this while addressing his guests at the dinner to mark Nigeria’s 25th year anniversary of unbroken democratic rule in Abuja Wednesday.

“The minimum wage is going to be what Nigerians can afford, what you can afford and what I can afford,” the President said.

Nigeria can feed itself if bandits leave farmers alone, says Tinubu

This is just as the President said he will bring down food inflation, but noted that bandits have made it difficult for farmers to produce food.

“The promises I could make is to struggle to bring the food price down but those bandits must leave the farmers alone and bring Nigeria back to its glory of production and harvesting,” he said.

The Organised Labour has however, insisted that it will not to accept a “starvation minimum wage”.

The Organised Labour, while reacting to the President’s Democracy Day nationwide broadcast, had pleaded with the President to use his powers to give workers something higher than the N62,000 proposed by the federal government team in the Tripartite Committee on Minimum Wage.

Labour also insisted that the N250,000 it has proposed remains sacrosanct

Addressing perhaps the demands of the Organised Labour on the need to cut costs, the President said “they ask you to cut your coat according to your size, if you have size at all”.

… I ‘dobale’ for Democracy

The President, speaking lightheartedly about his slip at the parade ground earlier during the Democracy Day observation, on Wednesday morning, said, “Democracy is worth falling for”.

“Early this morning, I had a swagger and it is on the social media they are confused whether I was doing Buga or doing Babariga, but it is a day to celebrate democracy while doing dobale (prostrating) for the day”.

Tinubu who described himself as a “Yoruba boy” said, “I am traditionally a Yoruba boy, I did my dobale (prostrating).

“Democracy is a day that is worthy of falling for. It is a joy to see all of you here.

I have heard excellent comments and the very touching remarks about myself and about the past, thank you”.

The President said it was a great honour for him to be here to represent the heart and soul of democratic struggle in the country’

He also assured Nigerians that he will not fall “I promise you all, it won’t fall”.

“Nigeria is a great country and we include in our National anthem the essence of service.

“I have seen many Governors both live and on TV serving their people, they belong to other party and many of them are here tonight.

“I thank you Gov of Akwa Ibom, thank you Gov of Kwara, my Comrade from Kaduna, thank you very much and Abia thank you. Ododo I could see you.

“I have forgotten the partisanship colour and embrace that Green-White-Green colour that depicts Nigeria, that is the value that we holds dear to ourselves that is the baton, the reason that we say we will hand over a banner without stain to our children and grandchildren.

“Is it not true that Nigeria is greater than any one of us that the unity of this country cannot be traded.”

Commenting on Nigerians’ reactions to reversal to the old National Anthem, for the first time, the President said he saw many criticisms about National anthem, adding that, “If you cannot change the name Nigeria are you the creator of Nigerian name?

“Nigeria is blessed. Our complexity yes, our diversity unending, but is the best road to success.

“I am standing before you promising you, I did my broadcast in the morning but as a price of the dinner you cost me tonight I am still making some remarks to offset the dinner price even though I described the day as low key.

“But I have to celebrate with you my dear brother, Senate President, Deputy Senate President.

“If you get a notice from me that I have changed my mind on minimum wage.

“The minimum wage is going to be what Nigerians can afford, what you can afford and what I can afford.”

Tinubu assured that his administration will make Nigeria tremendously successful, if he gets the necessary support from Nigerians

We can do it we can produce our way out of the history of complain. We will make Nigeria a tremendously successful country if we gather as we gather here tonight encourage our children about the charter of our value system as they look up to me as a leader to make the changes.

“What about the rest of you, the rest of your children making those changes too what do you tell them? How do you teach them whatever we have to invest in our National Orientation I think we should do it.

“Before I left for this dinner there was news we commend those custom officers in Kebbi and Ondo for rejecting millions of bribery forget the vandalisation arrest of those vandalizing our tracks and rail tracks.

“What do you call that? Distinguished leaders we have a lot of work that we must do about our county about our citizens.

“Citizenship is not just the dictionary meaning of it it is the actual character in us and we must teach these ones to achieve it.

“Let them know that Nigeria collectively we will do a job that we are called upon to do as one family, one nation under God Almighty.”

The dinner was attended by notable personalities including; Bolaji Akinyemi, Babagana Kingibe, Segun Osoba, Bisi Akande, Pius Akinyelure, Lawal Shuaibu, among others. (BusinessDay)

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