Tinubu: I almost quit presidential bid as he reflects on the pressure leading to the 2023 poll
Despite success in 2023 presidential election in Nigeria, Tinubu reveals that he almost bowed out.
President Bola Tinubu has disclosed that he almost quit his 2023 presidential bid amidst moments of uncertainty leading to the election.
This revelation was made during a special Iftar held in his honour at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, on Saturday.
The president thanked all Nigerians for the profound goodwill and prayers as he marked his seventy-third birthday in style.
“I almost dropped the idea of running for President,” Tinubu revealed on Saturday night.
Present at the occasion was his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Mr. Bayo Onanuga, who revealed the president’s revelation through a statement signed early hours of Sunday morning.
I Almost Quit Presidential Bid – Tinubu
The statement is titled: ‘President Tinubu appreciates Nigerians for birthday well wishes, reveals he nearly quit 2023 presidential race.’
Recalling the pressure faced by the president during election campaign, he revealed how a close relation visited him at night and questioned his decision to run for the poll.
I Almost Quit Presidential Bid – Tinubu
“Those close to me know that the odds were against me during the campaigns. One
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?’
“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.’”
“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, Tinubu Added.
“When I came to Abuja, Masari told me, ‘I am the Chairman of the North West Group; don’t look back.”
In the statement, Tinubu pinpointed the challenges faced during his bid for the presidency and reaffirmed his commitment to moving Nigeria forward.
I Almost Quit Presidential Bid – Tinubu
He also noted that he became the president when the country was facing economic challenges and had to respond quickly, which included removal of fuel subsidy on the day he was inaugurated.
“On the day of my inauguration, I had to decide on something not originally in my speech, and that was the fuel subsidy removal.
“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,” said Tinubu.
The Vice President of Nigeria Kashim Shettima commended Tinubu’s leadership style, noting his strategic decisions have corrected issues marring previous administrations.
He said, “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.
“These were the thorny issues that many before him sidestepped. But Asiwaju did no sidestep history; he came to rewrite it.
“And in rewriting it, Asiwaju has taken the bullets that many before him simply lacked the courage to face.
But that is the thing about true leadership: it is not for those who seek comfort. It is for those who understand that the path to national greatness is lined with difficult choices.”
I Almost Quit Presidential Bid – Tinubu
Also, the Nigeria’s Senate President Godswill Akpabio praised the President’s “relentless passion for national development” and described Tinubu as the “most audacious president” in the history of Nigeria.
“If I were a governor under your administration, I would have been a ‘supernatural governor’ and not an uncommon governor,” he remarked, adding that under Tinubu’s watch, governors receive more allocation.
Banjamin Kalu, the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, also applauded the president for standing by him in 2019, even as they were not from the same region.
“Today, he is at the forefront because Nigeria needs him. In 2019, despite not being from his region, he supported me in my most difficult political moment.
Nigeria needs leaders who rise above tribal considerations, and he has demonstrated that,” said Kalu.
Meanwhile, Imo State Governor Hope Uzodinma also commended Tinubu on his “decisive leadership” amid uncertainties, noting that it takes only a leader with “deep conviction and love for the country” to take the pivotal and difficult steps.
Speaking on behalf of cabinet members, the Minister of Communication, Innovation and Digital Economy, Dr. Bosun Tijani, recalled how he was appointed Tinubu’s administration.
I Almost Quit Presidential Bid – Tinubu
He stressed that a senior World Bank official had previously described the president as “the best reformist African leader today.”
Professor Shaffideen Amuwo, a childhood friend of the president, recalled their childhood days, attributing the president’s rise to divine providence.
“Our relationship did not just start in Chicago; we played soccer together as children. While I chose the library, my brother chose politics because he loved to speak.
“Today, Allah has shown His greatness by guiding him to lead Nigeria.
“The city of Chicago, founded by a Black man, has educated the man who now leads the most populous Black nation on earth.
I pray that Allah continues to hold his hand and guide him as he works to save our country.”
During his seventy-third birthday, Tinubu thanked the guests and those who have stood by him amidst the moments of doubts and adversity, vowing his commitment to leading Nigeria towards stead and growth.
The president’s birthday party was attended by the First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, Vice President Kashim Shettima and his wife, Nana; members of the Federal Executive Council, principal officers of the National Assembly, current and former governors, diplomats, business leaders, religious leaders, and many of Tinubu’s early life friends.
Dr. Abdulkadir Sholagberu, the Imam of the National Mosque, Abuja, led prayers supplicating divine direction for the President and Nigeria.
I Almost Quit Presidential Bid – Tinubu
