President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has expressed heartfelt gratitude to Nigerians for their well-wishes and prayers as he celebrated his 73rd birthday.
Speaking at a special Iftar held in his honor at the Presidential Villa on Saturday night, Tinubu thanked guests for their support, prayers, and contributions to the country’s progress.
Reflecting on his challenging path to the presidency, Tinubu shared a deeply personal story about a moment of doubt during his 2023 campaign.
He recalled how, in the heat of the election, a close relative visited him in the middle of the night, requesting ₦50,000 for food supplies due to the cash scarcity caused by the naira redesign policy.
The relative, frustrated with the situation, questioned Tinubu’s decision to continue running, saying:
“The currency is gone because of you. People are struggling to get cash. Even our wealthy uncle doesn’t have ₦10,000. What are you running for?”
Despite the doubts cast on him, Tinubu remained determined. He recounted telling the relative:
“I am running for President, not for you or our uncle.”
However, he later discovered that the messenger had only delivered ₦10,000 to their uncle and kept the rest for himself.
This moment of frustration almost made him reconsider his candidacy, but the encouragement of Aminu Masari and other supporters kept him going.
“When I came to Abuja, Masari told me, ‘I am the Chairman of the North West Group; don’t look back,’ and that gave me strength,” Tinubu shared.
The President reaffirmed his commitment to Nigeria’s progress, acknowledging the challenges, but focused on delivering results.
