President-elect Bola Tinubu Reveals How He Was Granted Asylum in US during Abacha's Regime

President-elect Bola Tinubu Reveals How He Was Granted Asylum in US during Abacha's Regime

  • President-elect, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has revealed how he was granted asylum in the United States of America
  • Tinubu said he fled Nigeria to seek asylum in the US due to the pressure during the regime of General Sani Abacha in 1995
  • The former Lagos state governor disclosed this during a telephone conversation with the US Secretary of State, Antony Blinken

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The President-elect, Bola Tinubu, has revealed how he fled the country to seek political asylum in the United States of America during the late General Sani Abacha regime in 1995.

He said he was forced into exile by Abacha due to his determined struggle for democracy in Nigeria.

President-elect Bola Tinubu/Late Gen Sani Abacha/Exile
President-elect Tinubu said the US granted him asylum during Abacha's regime. Photo credits: Facebook/Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Twitter/@G_sparking
Source: UGC

Tinubu, a member of the National Democratic Coalition (NADECO), disclosed this during a telephone conversation with US Secretary of State, Antony Blinken.

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May 29: "What I discussed with US Secretary of State," Tinubu reveals

In a statement issued by the President-elect's spokesperson, Tunde Rahman, said Tinubu recalled how the US sheltered him in the troubled days.

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“During the talks that lasted about 20 minutes, President-elect Tinubu spoke about his long and eventful sojourn in America, recalling how he was granted asylum by the US when, due to his determined struggle for democracy in Nigeria, he was forced into exile by the late General Sani Abacha’s military junta,” Rahman quoted Tinubu to have said.

Tinubu promises to deliver institutional reforms

Daily Trust reported that Rahman disclosed that Tinubu would deliver institutional and development programs as one of his immediate priorities to deepen the country’s democratic institutions and help poor and vulnerable Nigerians.

According to the President-elect, Nigeria would not become a better place to live in or play her proper role in the comity of African nations without national unity, security, economic development and good governance.

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US Secretary of State calls Tinubu on phone, makes crucial demands

The statement read in part:

“He urged the US to factor in Nigeria’s important place in Africa and provide needed assistance in the areas of security and economic investment in order for the nation to lead the way and be a shining example to the rest of the continent.
“Secretary Blinken assured that Nigeria should expect a good and mutually-beneficial relationship with the US.”

US Secretary of State calls Tinubu on phone

Legit.ng earlier reported that Blinken phoned the President-elect ahead of Tinubu's May 29 inauguration.

During the telephone conversation, Blinken emphasised the USA's continued commitment to strengthening the Nigeria-US relationship in the incoming Tinubu administration.

Source: Legit.ng

Authors:
Adekunle Dada avatar

Adekunle Dada (Politics and Current Affairs Editor) Adekunle Dada is a trained journalist with over 7 years of working experience. He is also a Politics/Current Affairs Editor at Legit.ng. He holds a B.Sc. in Mass Communication From Lagos State University, Ojo. Adekunle previously worked at PM News, The Sun, and Within Nigeria where he expressed his journalistic skills with well-researched articles and features. In 2024, Adekunle obtained a certificate in advanced digital reporting from the Google News Initiative. He can be reached via adekunle.dada@corp.legit.ng.