President Bola Tinubu has disclosed that his former placeholder, Aminu Masari, and a few others stopped him from dropping out of the presidential race.

Tinubu disclosed this while recalling how he almost dropped out of the race after an encounter with a relative.

He spoke at a special Iftar held in his honour at the Presidential Villa in Abuja on Saturday night and was contained in a statement signed by his spokesman, Bayo Onanuga.

The president acknowledged the challenging path to him assuming the presidency.

According to Tinubu: “Those close to me know that the odds were against me. During the campaigns, one of them came to my living room around 3:30 am 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.’

“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’”.

He admitted assuming office amid economic uncertainty and had to make immediate, difficult decisions, including removing the 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.