President-elect Bola Tinubu reveals how he was granted asylum in the US during Abacha's regime

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.

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

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

“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.

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.”