“I Almost Withdrew From 2023 Presidential Race” — Tinubu

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has disclosed that he nearly withdrew from the 2023 presidential race due to intense pressure and doubts, particularly from those close to him.

Speaking at a special Iftar dinner held in his honor at the Presidential Villa on Saturday night, Tinubu shared how the naira scarcity crisis during the campaign period made him reconsider his ambition.

The former Lagos governor narrated an incident where a relative visited him late at night and blamed him for the hardships caused by the naira redesign policy.

“One of my relatives came to my living room around 3:30 a.m. and said he needed just N50,000 to buy foodstuff for our uncle,” Tinubu recounted.

According to the president, the relative was frustrated, saying, “The currency is gone because of you. People are jumping over bank counters because there is no cash. Even our wealthy uncle doesn’t have N10,000 in cash. What are you running for?”

At that moment, Tinubu admitted he questioned whether he should continue his campaign.

Despite the discouragement, Tinubu said he remained determined.

“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.'”

Adding a twist to the story, Tinubu revealed that his uncle later confirmed receiving only N10,000 from the messenger, who kept the rest.

“I was amazed. At that moment, I almost dropped the idea of running for President. But thanks to Aminu Masari and others 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 recounted.

Fuel Subsidy Removal: A Tough But Necessary Decision

Reflecting on his tenure so far, President Tinubu acknowledged that he assumed office at a time of economic uncertainty, requiring immediate tough decisions—including the removal of 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 said.

According to him, Nigeria had reached a point of no return on subsidy removal, and there was no alternative but to take action.

“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 stated.
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