President Bola Tinubu says his first year in office has been challenging because he inherited a bleeding country from his predecessor, former President Muhammadu Buhari.

“It has been challenging. It has been fulfilling as well. We took over, and we have stopped the bleeding. I can say categorically now that Nigeria is no longer bleeding. And it will not bleed to death, but rather will now move to prosperity,” Mr said.

He added, “We are managing to swim through the pond. The current is not a good one. We will turn the tide. We are turning the bend. This I assure you. I am being very careful. The worst is over for Nigeria. We will prevail.”

The president, in a statement by his spokesperson, Ajuri Ngelale, said this when he hosted Yoruba leaders in the presidential villa on Friday.

The president’s statement comes as Nigerians berate his performance in the past one year, lamenting the high cost of living and economic hardship caused by his policies.

On assumption of office on May 29, Mr Tinubu, who inherited a N46 trillion debt profile, according to Debt Management Office, announced removal of fuel subsidy and a few days later floated the naira.

Economic experts and the International Monetary Fund, have lauded Mr Tinubu’s dual policies as bold moves. However, the policies have seen fuel price shoot up from N145 to N710, while the Nigerian naira continues to dip, trading for N1,500 to dollar in recent times. 

Different market surveys by Peoples Gazette showed that prices of food items have increased nationwide by over 100 per cent since Mr Tinubu assumed office on May 29, 2024. 

With food prices shooting through the roof under Mr Tinubu’s watch, Nigerians have on different occasions hit the streets in Niger, Osun, Ibadan and Lagos, lamenting hardship in the country. 

In March, a government-owned warehouse in Abuja was raided and food items looted by residents, while in Suleja, Niger State, Zaria in Kaduna State, trucks carrying food stuffs were attacked and looted as widespread hunger ravages the country.