Speaking at a special Iftar dinner held in his honour at the Presidential Villa on Saturday night, Tinubu reflected on the hardships he faced in his journey to the nation’s highest office, emphasising the doubts cast upon him by those around him.
President Bola Tinubu has disclosed that he nearly abandoned his bid for the presidency during the 2023 election campaign due to mounting challenges and scepticism, even from close relatives.
Speaking at a special Iftar dinner held in his honour at the Presidential Villa on Saturday night, Tinubu reflected on the hardships he faced in his journey to the nation’s highest office, emphasising the doubts cast upon him by those around him.
Tinubu’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, released excerpts of the President’s speech in a statement issued early Sunday, titled "President Tinubu Appreciates Nigerians for Birthday Well Wishes, Reveals He Nearly Quit 2023 Presidential Race."
"Those close to me know that the odds were against me," the President recounted. "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.
"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?'" Tinubu said.
Despite the discouragement, Tinubu recalled standing firm in his decision. "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.'"
He further revealed that his uncle later called to confirm receiving the money but admitted that he had only received N10,000 from the messenger.
"I was amazed. 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 said.
The President acknowledged the economic difficulties Nigeria faced when he assumed office and the tough choices he had to make, including the removal of the fuel subsidy.
"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 stated.
He explained that Nigeria had reached a point of no return on the issue. "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."
Vice President Kashim Shettima commended Tinubu’s sacrifices, saying history would remember him as the leader who tackled Nigeria’s most difficult governance challenges head-on.
"Thanks to his boldness, future presidents of Nigeria will not have to wrestle with the same ghosts that haunted past administrations, including fraud-ridden fuel subsidies, an unstable forex market, and the suppression of local government autonomy," Shettima said.
Senate President Godswill Akpabio lauded Tinubu’s vision, calling him the 'most audacious president' in Nigeria’s history.
"Under Tinubu's watch, governors are getting more allocation. If I were a governor under your administration, I would have been a 'supernatural governor' and not an uncommon governor," he quipped.
Other speakers, including Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives Benjamin Kalu, Governor Hope Uzodinma, and Minister of Communications Bosun Tijjani, praised Tinubu for his leadership, decisiveness, and commitment to national progress.
