President Tinubu Bola Ahmed (Current President – 2023- till Date)

President Tinubu Bola Ahmed is popularly known as BAT or Jagaban. He is serving as the 16th and current President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, together with Kashim Shettima as the Vice president. He assumed office on May 2023. President Tinubu has had an illustrious political career spanning many decades and has played a major role in Nigeria politics.

President Tinubu Early Life and Career

President Tinubu was born on March 29, 1952, in Lagos State, Nigeria. Tinubu received his early education at St. John’s Primary School, Aroloya, Lagos, and Children’s Home School in Ibadan. He then proceeded to the United States where he obtained a Bachelor’s degree in Accounting from Chicago State University in 1979 and a Master’s degree in Business Administration (MBA) from the same university in 1983.

His Political Career and Achievements

Tinubu secured the Lagos West senate seat in 1992 under the Social Democratic Party (SDP). Following the annulled presidential election in 1993 and Gen. Sani Abacha‘s takeover later that year, Tinubu engaged in pro-democracy efforts with the National Democratic Coalition (NADECO). Initially incarcerated for advocating democracy, he later went into exile in 1994 and only returned to Nigeria after Abacha’s demise in 1998.

He was subsequently elected as Governor of Lagos State in 1999, serving two consecutive terms from 1999 to 2007. During his tenure as Governor, Tinubu implemented a number of policies and programs that transformed Lagos State into a modern and vibrant city, earning him the nickname, “The Jagaban of Lagos”.

President Tinubu is also a founding member of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Nigeria’s ruling political party. He played a key role in the merger of four opposition parties that formed the APC in 2013, which later won the presidential election in 2015, defeating the incumbent President Goodluck Jonathan of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP).

As a seasoned politician and a master strategist, Tinubu is known for his ability to mobilize support and win elections. He has been instrumental in the election of several governors, senators, and members of the House of Representatives across Nigeria, using his political network and influence to help his party win elections.

How Tinubu Became The President of Nigeria

The presidential election took place on February 25, 2023, marking the first instance of Nigeria’s electoral commission depending entirely on biometric verification of voters and the electronic dissemination of outcomes to enhance the election’s credibility. Despite these intentions, the system faced challenges, with issues reported in uploading and transmitting results by some electoral agents.

He was announced as the election winner by the electoral commission, having secured nearly 37 percent of the total votes and meeting the requirement of achieving at least 25 percent of votes in two-thirds of Nigeria’s 36 states and the Abuja Federal Capital Territory. His win was immediately contested by opposition parties, who pointed to the irregularities observed, and was subsequently taken to court. Despite these challenges, Tinubu assumed the presidency on May 29, 2023.

Cabinet of President Tinubu Bola Ahmed

President Tinubu Bola Ahmed FAQs