The immediate past president, Muhammadu Buhari, is celebrating his successor, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, on the occasion of his 73rd birthday.
In a telephone call on Friday, Buhari joined Tinubu’s family and the nation in celebrating the President.
He said he and his family are praying for Tinubu’s longevity and the continued success of his administration.
“When we pray for our leaders, we are praying for ourselves and the nation. We owe this to ourselves and the nation,” Buhari told Tinubu during the call.
The former president also expressed deep appreciation for Tinubu’s pivotal role in shaping the All Progressives Congress (APC) and supporting his own rise to the presidency.
“My family and I remain indebted to President Tinubu and other leaders of the party for the invaluable contributions they made towards the formation of the APC, catapulting me to the presidency for two terms after failed attempts, and in helping to produce another APC administration with the Asiwaju himself at its head,” he said.
Reflecting on Tinubu’s legacy, Buhari praised the President as a political icon with a long-standing commitment to democratic ideals and party-building.
He said: “No doubt, the annals of the country will not be complete without bringing into mention, and a recognition of the varied and numerous roles of President Tinubu as an entrepreneur, a party stalwart, a staunch activist, party organizer, party builder, a reliable ally and a serial winner of democratic elections. I am truly proud of my association with the Asiwaju.”
Buhari noted that the APC’s rise to power in 2015 was a mandate to build a better Nigeria and expressed satisfaction that the party’s founding vision remains alive under Tinubu’s leadership.
He said: “When Nigerians handed the baton of leadership to the APC in 2015, it was a mandate to lay the foundation for a new Nigeria where the poor get opportunities for a better future and I am glad that the vision is not lost. It was a victory of all those who wish the country’s good.”
The former president concluded his message by wishing Tinubu, his family, and all Nigerians a successful conclusion to the Ramadan fast and a joyous Eid celebration.
