President Bola Tinubu has revealed details of his disagreements with the late former President Muhammadu Buhari during the formation of the All Progressives Congress (APC), describing him as a “stubborn man.” Tinubu also stated that his administration will not be intimidated by the trade policy of former U.S. President Donald Trump, citing Nigeria’s growing non-oil revenue as a key buffer against external shocks.
Speaking at the Presidential Villa while receiving a delegation from The Buhari Organisation (TBO), led by former Nasarawa State Governor, Senator Tanko Al-Makura, President Tinubu shared an anecdote about their initial clashes. “We disagreed to agree. We even argued about a symbol. He insisted on parliament, and I insisted on broom. He’s so stubborn,” Tinubu recalled. According to Naija News, he noted that despite these disputes, the two leaders reached compromises that enabled the successful merger of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), and other parties to form the APC in 2013.
On economic matters, President Tinubu maintained that the sweeping tariffs announced by the Trump administration would not hinder Nigeria’s economic progress. “If non-oil revenue is growing, then we have no fear of whatever Trump is doing on the other side,” he asserted. He highlighted his administration’s improved fiscal outlook, claiming that the country had already met its 2025 revenue target by August. The president also pointed to the reforms in the foreign exchange market, noting that the naira has appreciated from ₦1,900 to about ₦1,450 to the dollar since his government unified the exchange rates in May 2023.
