“Painfully, I have asked you, my compatriots, to sacrifice a little more for the survival of our country,” said President Bola Tinubu in his June 12 Democracy Day broadcast on Monday.

Nigerians are currently enduring excruciating hardship brought about by the hike in the pump price of petrol that costs between N489 and N1,200 per litre across the country.

Besides the high pump price, people also struggle with N40,000 daily withdrawal limit at the ATM.

But Mr Tinubu promised, “For your trust and belief in us, I assure you that your sacrifice shall not be in vain.”

He vowed that his government would not take the sacrifice of Nigerians for granted, adding that the removal of fuel subsidy was necessary for a better country long strangulated by unnecessary expenditures.

“It is for this reason that, in my inauguration address on May 29, I gave effect to the decision taken by my predecessor-in-office to remove the fuel subsidy albatross and free up for collective use of the much-needed resources, which had hitherto been pocketed by a few rich,” the president stated in his nationwide broadcast.

Mr Tinubu added, “I admit that the decision will impose extra burden on the masses of our people. I feel your pain. This is one decision we must bear to save our country from going under and take our resources away from the stranglehold of a few unpatriotic elements.”

The new Nigerian leader said that the government “I lead will repay you through massive investment in transportation infrastructure, education, regular power supply, healthcare and other public utilities” that will improve the quality of lives.

Meanwhile, Mr Tinubu has urged his opponents contesting his victory in the presidential election to show sportsmanship.

“That the polls were intensely contested is in itself positive evidence that democracy is well and alive in our land. It is only natural that even as those who won and experienced victory in the various elections are elated and fulfilled, those who lost are disenchanted and disappointed,” stated the president. “But the beauty of democracy is that those who win today can lose tomorrow and those who lose today will have an opportunity to compete and win in the next round of elections.”

He counselled losers in the election that “those who cannot endure and accept the pain of defeat in elections do not deserve the joy of victory when it is their turn to triumph.” 

Mr Tinubu further stated, “Above all, those who disagree with the outcome of the elections are taking full advantage of the constitutional provisions to seek redress in court and that is one of the reasons why democracy is still the best form of government invented by man.”