President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has revealed that at a point during his 2023 presidential campaign, he considered stepping down due to the overwhelming political and economic challenges facing the country. The President made this revelation during a public engagement where he reflected on his journey to the presidency and the difficult decisions he had to make upon assuming office.
According to Tinubu, Nigeria was facing a period of severe economic downturn, and he knew that his administration would have to implement bold but painful reforms to set the country on a path to recovery. One of the most critical decisions he had to make on the very first day in office was the removal of the fuel subsidy, a policy that had been a burden on the nation’s finances for decades.
"On the day of my inauguration, I had to decide on something not originally in my speech, and that was the fuel subsidy removal. It was a tough but necessary decision," he stated.
He admitted that the road to the presidency was not easy, as he faced opposition, criticism, and immense political pressure. However, his belief in Nigeria's potential and the need for a transformative leadership kept him going. Tinubu reassured Nigerians that despite the hardships, his government remains committed to long-term economic stability, job creation, and infrastructural development.
The President called on citizens to exercise patience and support his administration's policies, reiterating that the reforms being implemented are necessary for national growth.