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I nearly withdrew from 2023 presidential race -Tinubu
President Bola Tinubu has revealed that he nearly abandoned his 2023 presidential ambition following a moment of doubt during the election campaign.
“I almost dropped the idea of running for President,” Tinubu revealed on Saturday night at a special Iftar held in his honour at the Aso Rock Presidential Villa, Abuja, where he also thanked Nigerians for their overwhelming goodwill and prayers on his 73rd birthday.
Tinubu’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Mr Bayo Onanuga, disclosed the excerpts of the President’s dpeech in a statement signed in the early hours of Sunday titled ‘President Tinubu appreciates Nigerians for birthday well wishes, reveals he nearly quit 2023 presidential race.’
Reflecting on the pressures he faced, the President recounted how a close relative visited him in the middle of the night and questioned his resolve.
“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.’”
Tinubu added, “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.
“When I came to Abuja, Masari told me, ‘I am the Chairman of the North West Group; don’t look back.
”In his address, the President recognised the difficulties encountered along the path to the presidency and reaffirmed his commitment to advancing Nigeria’s progress.
Tinubu also noted that he assumed office during a period of economic challenges and had to make swift decisions, including scrapping the fuel subsidy on his inauguration day.
“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.
Vice President Kashim Shettima lauded the President’s leadership style, saying his decisions have tackled issues that haunted 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 not 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.
”Senate President Godswill Akpabio applauded the President’s “relentless passion for national development” and described him as the “most audacious president” in Nigeria’s history.
“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.
Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives Benjamin Kalu also commended the President for supporting him politically in 2019, even though they were from different regions.
“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, Governor Hope Uzodinma of Imo State praised Tinubu’s “decisive leadership” amid national uncertainties, stating that only a leader with “deep conviction and love for the country” could take the necessary but often difficult steps.
The Minister of Communications, Innovation, and Digital Economy, Dr Bosun Tijjani, who spoke on behalf of cabinet members, recounted his appointment under the President despite prior activism.
He added that a senior World Bank official had recently described Tinubu as “the best reformist leader in Africa today.
”One of the President’s childhood friends, Professor Shaffideen Amuwo, recalled their early years, attributing Tinubu’s rise to divine providence.
Amuwo said, “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.
”For his 73rd birthday, Tinubu thanked guests and supporters who have stood by him through periods of doubt and adversity, reaffirming his resolve to steer Nigeria toward stability and growth.
Saturday night’s event 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 figures; and several of the President’s childhood friends.
The Imam of the National Mosque, Abuja, Dr. Abdulkadir Sholagberu, led prayers seeking divine guidance for the President and the nation.
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IGP Egbetokun Pays Condolence Visit to Arase’s Family
During the course of his illustrious Policing career, IGP Arase served in various capacities including Principal Staff Officer (PSO) to three IGPs between 2002 and 2008, Commissioner of Police in Akwa Ibom State, pioneer Assistant Inspector-General of Police in charge of Force Intelligence Bureau (FIB) and DIG Force Criminal Investigation Department (FCID) respectively.
The Inspector-General of Police, IGP Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun, paid a condolence visit to the family of the deceased former IGP Solomon Ehigiator Arase, in Abuja today.
IGP Egbetokun extended heartfelt condolences on behalf of officers and men of the Nigeria Police Force, to the family, friends, and former colleagues of the deceased IGP Arase.
Kayode Egbetokun acknowledges the deep pain of this loss and prays for comfort, strength, and peace for all in this time of grief, while appreciating the contributions of the late Police boss to Police reforms and National Security.
The memory of late IGP Arase will forever remain etched in the heart of the Force and the country he so faithfully served.
Arase died in the early hours of Sunday, August 31, 2025, at Cedarcrest Hospital, Abuja after a brief illness.
The news of his death was officially communicated to IGP Kayode Egbetokun, through his first son, Mr Solomon Osabohien Arase jnr on Sunday.
BIOGRAPHY
IGP Solomon Arase was born on the 21st of June, 1956, in Owan West Local Government of Edo State.
He attended Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, where he earned his first degree in Political science.
He later obtained a Bachelor’s Degree in Law from the University of Benin, a Master’s Degree in Law from the University of Lagos and a Ph.D in Public Law from the Ambrose Alli University Ekpoma, Edo State.
Arase was enlisted into the Nigeria Police Force on the 1st of December, 1981.
During the course of his illustrious Policing career, IGP Arase served in various capacities including Principal Staff Officer (PSO) to three IGPs between 2002 and 2008, Commissioner of Police in Akwa Ibom State, pioneer Assistant Inspector-General of Police in charge of Force Intelligence Bureau (FIB) and DIG Force Criminal Investigation Department (FCID) respectively.
He was appointed the 18th indigenous Inspector-General of Police in April 2015 and retired on the 21st of June 2016.
He was thereafter appointed the Chairman Police Service Commission on the 24th January, 2023 by Late President Muhammadu Buhari, a post which he held until the 10th of June, 2024.
He was also a Fellow of the Defence College and a member of the prestigious Body of Benchers.
During his tenure as the Inspector-General of Police, he introduced major initiatives for the reform and improvement of the Force, such as the Complaint Response Unit for swift responses to public complaints and adequate protection of citizens rights.
IGP Arase exemplified the highest standards of professionalism, bravery, and leadership, while his contributions to national security and police reform continue to resonate within the Force and beyond.
His passing is not just the culmination of a remarkable chapter but a moment of collective mourning of a man who served with pride and honour.
PHILANTHROPY
Through the Solomon Ehigiator Arase Foundation (SEAF), he supported academic excellence by awarding scholarships to outstanding Nigerian students, with particular focus on children of deceased police officers and indigent students.
More than 23,659 people are still missing across Nigeria, leaving 13,595 families — mostly women — in distress, according to the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC). The grim figure was disclosed on Sunday by Mr. Ishaku Luka, Team Lead for Protection of Family Links at the ICRC in Damaturu, during events marking the International Day of the Disappeared.
Luka said that 68% of those searching for missing loved ones are women, while 59% of the missing were children at the time they disappeared. Yobe State alone accounts for around 2,500 of the cases, with the majority reported from Gujba Local Government Area.
“Each missing person represents a family trapped in pain and uncertainty, often facing legal, social, and economic hardships,” Luka said, stressing that the plight of these families is one of the overlooked consequences of conflict, disasters, and migration.
He urged authorities, communities, and all parties to conflict to take greater responsibility in preventing disappearances and protecting civilians.
Providing updates on ICRC’s work, Luka revealed that between January and June 2025, the organisation documented 451 new cases and resolved 515. In that period, seven children separated from their families were successfully reunited.
“Every day, we help reunite 20 people globally. Every hour, we clarify the fate of two missing persons. Every minute, we help four people contact their families,” he noted.
ICRC representative Hassan added that healing does not come with time alone, but with answers, acknowledgment, and support. He highlighted the ongoing support provided in states like Borno and Adamawa, including mental health services, livelihood aid, and family orientation programmes in partnership with the Nigerian Red Cross Society.
He called on Nigerian authorities to fulfill their legal and moral obligations — by clarifying the fate of missing persons, respecting the dignity of the deceased, and supporting affected families.
Globally, over 94,000 new missing persons were registered in 2024, bringing the total to 284,400 — a figure the ICRC believes underrepresents the true scale of the crisis.
“No family should have to live with the torment of not knowing. We renew our commitment to advocate for the disappeared and stand with their families,” Hassan said.
Former Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Solomon Arase has reportedly passed away at Cedarcrest Hospital in Abuja.
As at press time, there has been no official confirmation from his family or the Nigeria Police Force regarding the development.
Arase, Nigeria’s 18th Inspector-General of Police, was appointed to the position in April 2015 by then-President Goodluck Jonathan.
After his retirement in 2016, he continued to serve the nation in various capacities, most notably as Chairman of the Police Service Commission (PSC), a role he assumed in January 2023 under President Muhammadu Buhari. He was relieved of the position in June 2024 by President Bola Tinubu.
A seasoned intelligence officer, Arase once led the Criminal Intelligence and Investigation Bureau, the police force’s apex intelligence unit. He also served as Commissioner of Police in Akwa Ibom State and later as Assistant Inspector-General of Police in charge of intelligence. His international service included a stint in Namibia on a United Nations peacekeeping mission.
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