News Investigators/ A political group, Friends of Tinubu Reforms, has appointed the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, as its Grand Patron.
The group said the minister was honoured in recognition of his role in communicating the policies and programmes of President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
The Director-General of the group, Agbor Ebipade, announced the honour when he led a delegation on a courtesy visit to the minister in Abuja on Thursday.
Mr Ebipade explained the group was established to strengthen the relationship between the government and Nigerians by promoting public understanding of the administration’s reforms and achievements.
He added that the group, unveiled on Aug. 28, 2026, was committed to demonstrating the role of organised support groups in promoting government policies and national development.
“Friends of Tinubu Reforms has come to stay, because we need to prove to Nigerians that there is a particular organisation that can strengthen the government and the people,” he said.
The director-general appealed to Idris to formally accept the group’s offer and serve as its Grand Patron, describing the minister as “a father”, whose leadership and guidance would inspire members to achieve their objectives.
“We believe seriously that Mr President will be very excited to have you as the Grand Patron of the Friends of Tinubu Reforms,” Ebipade said.
He assured the minister that the group would remain committed to its mission and work towards promoting the administration’s policies and programmes across the country.
Mr Ebipade further said that the organisation had established a presence across different parts of the world and was determined to mobilise support for Tinubu’s administration.
He defended the president’s leadership, insisting that the administration deserved continued support and urged Nigerians to recognise the efforts being made to reposition the country.
The director-general said the group had already adopted Idris as its father and looked forward to working closely with him in communicating the government’s achievements to Nigerians.
Responding, Mr Idris commended the group for its initiative, describing partnerships with civil society organisations, voluntary associations and political support groups as “essential to effective communication of government policies”.
“I know what you do is largely to communicate the reforms and the renewed hope agenda of Mr President to the nooks and crannies of this country. This is exactly what we need,” he said.
The minister explained that government officials alone could not adequately communicate the administration’s programmes and achievements, stressing the need for partnerships with organisations capable of reaching communities across the country.
“It is impossible for government officials alone to communicate government programmes. We need partnerships such as yours, civil society organisations, voluntary organisations and support groups like this, to tell Nigerians the good work that President Tinubu has been doing,” Idris said.
He maintained that the president’s reform agenda was designed to reposition the economy and create a foundation for sustainable prosperity, noting that the administration had introduced difficult policies to address longstanding economic challenges.
According to him, the removal of the petrol subsidy and the unification of the foreign exchange market were among the major measures taken to stabilise the economy and address structural weaknesses.
Mr Idris said Nigerians should not lose sight of the economic conditions that preceded the administration’s assumption of office, including difficulties in meeting salary obligations, accessing foreign exchange and attracting foreign investment.
He also recalled that Nigeria had faced challenges in international financial transactions, adding that the country’s removal from the Financial Action Task Force’s grey list in the last quarter of 2025 represented an important development in restoring confidence in its financial system.
The minister said the country’s improved standing was significant because it could strengthen international confidence in Nigeria as a destination for legitimate business and investment.
He further said that international credit rating agencies had previously expressed concerns about Nigeria’s economic outlook but maintained that the country was now on a path towards improved economic performance.
Addressing concerns about the cost of living, Mr Idris acknowledged that Nigerians continued to face difficulties but argued that sustainable improvements in living conditions required a strong economic foundation capable of supporting jobs, businesses and household incomes.
He said indicators such as foreign reserves, gross domestic product and inflation should be considered when assessing the direction of the economy, while acknowledging that the country had yet to achieve all its development objectives.
On security, the minister said the administration was making efforts to address banditry, kidnapping, insurgency and other threats affecting communities and economic activities in different parts of the country.
He cited improvements in the security situation along the Abuja-Kaduna route, the gradual decline in sit-at-home activities in parts of the South-East and efforts to curb pipeline vandalism in the Niger Delta as examples of progress.
Mr Idris, however, acknowledged that significant challenges remained, urging Nigerians to support the administration rather than abandon its reform agenda because of the difficulties associated with implementing major economic changes.
“No one is saying that there’s a magic wand anybody can use to take Nigeria out of the woods. But what Tinubu has promised you is that, tough decisions that are required for us to be on the march towards prosperity, he is taking them,” he said.
He urged the group to sustain its public enlightenment efforts, stressing that every part of the country deserves to understand the policies and programmes being implemented by the federal government.
The minister also highlighted government initiatives in education, agriculture and infrastructure, including the Nigerian Education Loan Fund, road construction projects and investments aimed at improving transportation and economic activities across the country.
He cited the federal government’s commitment of N1.83 trillion through the tax credit system for road projects, noting that more than 90 per cent of the allocation was directed to projects in Niger State.
Mr Idris also referenced the Sokoto-Badagry Superhighway and the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway as major infrastructure projects expected to improve connectivity, facilitate commerce and support economic development.
He reaffirmed the government’s commitment to serving Nigerians and creating an enabling environment for national development, expressing optimism that cooperation between the administration and support organisations would contribute to achieving its objectives.
Mr Idris thanked the group for beginning its mobilisation and public enlightenment activities, assuring it of support to communicate government policies and programmes to Nigerians.
NAN
