President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has disclosed that he nearly withdrew from the 2023 presidential race due to mounting pressures and moments of self-doubt.
He made this revelation on Saturday night during a special Iftar at the Aso Rock Presidential Villa, Abuja, held in his honor on his 73rd birthday.
Reflecting on the challenges he faced during the election campaign, Tinubu recounted an encounter with a relative who questioned his ambition in the face of economic difficulties at the time.
“Those close to me know the odds were against me. One night, around 3:30 a.m., a relative visited me, asking for N50,000 to buy foodstuff for our uncle.”
He said, ‘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. Why are you running for President?’” Tinubu recalled.
He said he responded, “I am running for President, not for you and our uncle,” before handing over the money. However, the visitor doubted his chances, telling him, “I don’t think you will make it.”
“At that moment, I almost dropped the idea of running for President,” Tinubu admitted. “But thanks to Aminu Masari and others who encouraged me.”
The President also spoke about the crucial decisions he had to make upon assuming office, including the controversial removal of fuel subsidies on his inauguration day.
“The hallmark of a great leader is the ability to make the right decision at the right time,” he said. “That was the day I declared that the subsidy was gone. The following day, I was hounded and thoroughly criticized in the media. But I stood firm, knowing it was the right thing to do for our nation’s future.”
Vice President Kashim Shettima praised Tinubu’s bold leadership, stating that his policies had tackled longstanding governance challenges.
“These were the thorny issues that many before him sidestepped,” Shettima said. “But Asiwaju did not sidestep history; he came to rewrite it. In doing so, he has taken the bullets that many before him lacked the courage to face.”
Senate President Godswill Akpabio described Tinubu as the “most audacious president” in Nigeria’s history, commending his commitment to national development.
“If I were a governor under your administration, I would have been a ‘supernatural governor’ and not an uncommon governor,” Akpabio quipped, adding that under Tinubu’s leadership, governors now receive increased allocations.
Governor Hope Uzodinma of Imo State also lauded the President’s decisive approach to governance, stating, “Only a leader with deep conviction and love for the country can take such difficult but necessary steps.”
Minister of Communications, Innovation, and Digital Economy, Dr. Bosun Tijjani, highlighted Tinubu’s leadership reputation on the global stage. He recounted a senior World Bank official recently describing him as “the best reformist leader in Africa today.”
Professor Shaffideen Amuwo, a childhood friend of the President, attributed Tinubu’s political rise to divine providence.
“Our relationship did not just start in Chicago; we played soccer together as children,” Amuwo shared. “Today, Allah has shown His greatness by guiding him to lead Nigeria.”
The Iftar event was attended by First Lady Oluremi Tinubu, Vice President Kashim Shettima and his wife, Nana, members of the Federal Executive Council, National Assembly leaders, past and present governors, diplomats, business figures, and religious leaders.
