Be Prepared For Tough Times Ahead, Blair Tells Tinubu

A former British Prime Minister, Tony Blair, has asked Nigeria’s President-elect, Bola Tinubu, to be prepared for a tough time in office ahead of his inauguration on May 29.

The former United Kingdom leader acknowledged the difficult task before Tinubu and other leaders around the world at a time of global turmoil.

According to a statement on Tuesday by Tinubu’s media aide, Abdulaziz Abdulaziz, Blair stated this when he visited the president-elect at the Defence House, Abuja.

Blair remarked that the Tony Blair Institute for Global Change would be a willing partner of the Tinubu administration, especially in prioritising its goals and delivery.

The Briton said since leaving office as the UK Prime Minister, he had been working with governments around the world to help them deliver on their mandates.

He said the Blair Institute had a project in place in Nigeria and felt it was incumbent upon him to meet Nigeria’s incoming president to understand the administration’s priorities.

“We would like to help in any way with your administration, we only need to know what the leadership priorities are and help in how to actualize them.

“Being in government today anywhere in the world is tough, you have things happening around the world which affect you and for which you can’t do anything much,” Blair said.

In his remarks, Tinubu commended the former UK Prime Minister for the visit and for the offer to work with the incoming administration.

The former Governor of Lagos State spoke of the shared vision between him and the Tony Blair Institute in key areas of security, economy, agriculture, and power.

He, however, underlined the importance of tackling investment challenges and the need for social investment to fight poverty. Tinubu promised to provide a conducive environment that would encourage investors and open up opportunities for Nigerians.

“We have to invest more, put technology in place, and keep terrorists at bay because, without effective security, there is no guarantee investors will come,” he said.