President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has revealed that he nearly withdrew from the 2023 presidential race but was encouraged to stay in the contest by his former placeholder, Aminu Masari, and other political allies. His revelation came during a special Iftar event held in his honor at the Presidential Villa in Abuja on Saturday night.
Speaking at the gathering, Tinubu reflected on the numerous challenges he faced during his campaign. His remarks were later detailed in a statement issued by his spokesperson, Bayo Onanuga. The president recalled a moment of deep uncertainty, triggered by a late-night encounter with a relative who questioned the viability of his ambition.
“One of my relatives came to my living room around 3:30 am, saying he needed N50,000 to buy foodstuffs for our uncle. He lamented that people were suffering due to the cash scarcity, even jumping over bank counters to get money,” Tinubu recounted.
According to the president, the relative then bluntly asked him, “What are you running for?” Tinubu responded, “I am running for President, not for you and our uncle.” However, the relative remained skeptical, telling him, “I don’t think you will make it.” Tinubu simply replied, “I will make it.”
At that moment, Tinubu admitted, he almost abandoned his bid for the presidency. However, encouragement from Masari and other supporters strengthened his resolve to continue. “When I arrived in Abuja, Masari assured me, ‘I am the Chairman of the North West Group; don’t look back,'” he said, emphasizing the critical role played by his political allies in keeping his ambitions alive.
Beyond the campaign struggles, Tinubu also reflected on his early days in office, acknowledging the economic instability he inherited and the difficult decisions he had to make. Among these was the controversial removal of fuel subsidies, which he announced on his inauguration day.
“I had to make an immediate decision that was not even in my speech—removing the fuel subsidy,” he disclosed. This move, he explained, was necessary to set the country on a more sustainable economic path, despite the short-term hardships it caused.
