President Bola Ahmed Tinubu expressed deep appreciation for the support, prayer and kindness of the Nigerians as he marked his 73rd birthday.
Tinubu acknowledged the difficult path to the presidency and reiterated his commitment to progress in Nigeria when he spoke at Iftar on Saturday night at the Presidential Villa.
Reflecting on his political journey, the president recalls a moment in the 2023 election, when he briefly considered quitting the competition after interacting with his close relatives.
“People who are close to me know the chances are against me. During the campaign, one of them came to my living room around 3:30 a.m. and said he only needed N50,000 to buy food for our uncle,” Tinubu said.
“He told me, ‘The currency disappeared because of you. People jumped onto the bank counter because they didn’t have cash. Our uncle, a rich man, didn’t even have cash N10,000.”
“I told him, ‘I’m running for president, not for you and our uncle.’ When he walked out, I gave him N50,000. I replied, “I’ll do it.” ‘”
The president revealed that his uncle later confirmed receiving the money, but admitted that the messenger gave him only 10,000 n10,000, the rest.
“At that moment, I almost gave up on the idea of running for president. But thanks to Aminu Masari and everyone who encouraged me. When I came to Abuja, Masari told me, ‘I am the chairman of the Northwest Group; don’t look back;” Tinubu added.
President Tinubu highlighted the economic challenges he inherited during his tenure, highlighting his decision to cancel fuel subsidies on the day of the inauguration.
“On the day of the inauguration, I had to decide that it wasn’t something in the speech at first, and that was the removal of the fuel subsidy,” he said.
“The mark of a great leader is being able to make the right decision at the right time. That day I declared that the subsidies had disappeared. The next day, I was hunted and completely abused in the media. But I was firmly firm and knew that this was right for the future of our country,” Tinubu added. ”
