32 Facts About Bola Tinubu

Chief Bola Ahmed Adekunle Tinubu was born on 29 March 1952 and is a Nigerian politician who is the 16th and current president of Nigeria.

Bola Tinubu was the governor of Lagos State from 1999 to 2007; and senator for Lagos West in the Third Republic.

Bola Tinubu returned to Nigeria in the early 1990s and was employed by Mobil Nigeria as an accountant, before entering politics as a Lagos West senatorial candidate in 1992 under the banner of the Social Democratic Party.

Bola Tinubu was born in Lagos into the merchant family of Abibatu Mogaji, the Iyal'oja of Lagos.

Bola Tinubu is generally accepted in reliable sources to have been born in 1952; this year of birth is sometimes disputed by political opponents, who argue that he is much older.

Bola Tinubu attended St John's Primary School, Aroloya, Lagos before proceeding to Children Home School in Ibadan.

Bola Tinubu completed undergraduate studies in the United States, first at Richard J Daley College in Chicago and then at Chicago State University.

Bola Tinubu graduated in 1979 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting.

Bola Tinubu worked for the American companies Arthur Andersen, Deloitte and GTE Services Corporation.

Bola Tinubu went on to win the AD primaries for the Lagos State governorship elections in defeating Funsho Williams and Wahab Dosunmu, a former Minister of Works and Housing.

Bola Tinubu was involved in a struggle with the Olusegun Obasanjo-controlled federal government over whether Lagos State had the right to create new Local Council Development Areas to meet the needs of its large population.

In 2006, Bola Tinubu attempted to persuade the then-vice president of Nigeria Atiku Abubakar to become the head of his party, the Action Congress.

Bola Tinubu offered Abubakar the chance to switch parties and join the AC, offering him the his party's presidential candidacy, with the condition that he, Bola Tinubu, would be Atiku Abubakar's running mate.

Bola Tinubu defected to the Labour Party while still keeping his position as deputy governor.

In 2009, following the landslide victory of the People's Democratic Party in the April 2007 elections, Bola Tinubu became involved in negotiations to bring together the fragmented opposition parties into a "mega-party" capable of challenging the then ruling PDP.

Bola Tinubu initially wanted to become Buhari's vice presidential candidate but later conceded for Yemi Osibanjo, his ally and former commissioner of justice.

Bola Tinubu went on to play an important role in the Buhari administration, supporting government policies and holding onto the internal party reins, in lieu of his long-held rumored presidential aspiration.

On 10 January 2022, Bola Tinubu made his formal announcement of candidacy for president.

On 8 June 2022, Bola Tinubu won the party convention vote of the ruling APC, scoring 1,271, to defeat Vice President Yemi Osinbajo and Rotimi Amaechi who scored 235 and 316 respectively.

Bola Tinubu was declared president-elect after he polled 8,794,726 votes to defeat his opponents.

Bola Tinubu was sworn in as President of Nigeria by the Chief Justice of Nigeria Olukayode Ariwoola at 10:41 AM at an inauguration ceremony held in Eagle Square in Abuja.

Bola Tinubu was conferred with the highest national honour of the Grand Commander of the Order of the Federal Republic by his predecessor Muhammadu Buhari, and his Vice President Kashim Shettima with the second highest honor of the Grand Commander of the Order of the Niger on 25 May 2023.

Bola Tinubu has throughout his political career espoused a comprehensive political and economic platform.

Bola Tinubu's presidency is deftly expected to be a politico-ideological departure from Buharism, albiet, most international economists are yet to ascertain the nature of this departure in economic terms.

Bola Tinubu has been widely perceived as the "Godfather of Lagos".

Bola Tinubu has attempted to strongarm the political process, including in December 2009, when it was reported that Fashola and Tinubu had fallen out over the issue of Fashola's re-election as Governor of Lagos in 2011, with Tinubu preferring the commissioner for environment, Muiz Banire.

Ambode succeeded Fashola, was ousted by Bola Tinubu and replaced by incumbent Babajide Sanwo-Olu.

Bola Tinubu settled with the US government and forfeited about $460,000 later that year.

Bola Tinubu said the transaction was straightforward and profitable to the state, with no intermediaries involved.

Bola Tinubu married Oluremi Bola Tinubu, who is a former senator representing the Lagos Central senatorial district, in 1987.

On 31 October 2017, his son, Jide Bola Tinubu, died in London.

Bola Tinubu holds two traditional chieftaincies; he is the "Asiwaju" of Lagos and the "Jagaba" of the Borgu Emirate in Niger State.