President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has expressed deep appreciation to Nigerians for their support, prayers, and goodwill as he marked his 73rd birthday.
Speaking at a special Iftar held in his honour at the Presidential Villa on Saturday night, Tinubu acknowledged the difficult path to the presidency and reaffirmed his commitment to Nigeria’s progress.
Reflecting on his political journey, the President recalled a moment during the 2023 election campaign when he briefly considered withdrawing from the race after an interaction with a close relative.
“Those close to me know that the odds were against me. During the campaigns, one of them came to my living room around 3:30 a.m. and said he needed just N50,000 to buy foodstuff for our uncle,” Tinubu said.
“He told me, ‘The currency is gone because of you. People are jumping over bank counters because there is no cash. Our uncle, a wealthy man, doesn’t even have N10,000 in cash. What are you running for?’”
“I told him, ‘I am running for President, not for you and our uncle.’ I gave him the N50,000. As he walked out, he turned to me and said, ‘I don’t think you will make it.’ I replied, ‘I will make it.’”
The President revealed that his uncle later confirmed receiving the money but admitted that the messenger had only given him N10,000, keeping the rest.
“At that moment, I almost dropped the idea of running for President. But thanks to Aminu Masari and all of you who encouraged me. When I came to Abuja, Masari told me, ‘I am the Chairman of the North West Group; don’t look back,’” Tinubu added.
President Tinubu highlighted the economic challenges he inherited upon assuming office, emphasizing his decision to remove the fuel subsidy on his inauguration day.
“On the day of my inauguration, I had to decide on something not originally in my speech, and that was the fuel subsidy removal,” he said.
“The hallmark of a great leader is the ability to make the right decision at the right time. That was the day I declared that the subsidy was gone. The following day, I was hounded and thoroughly abused in the media. But I stood firm, knowing it was the right thing to do for our nation’s future,” Tinubu added.