President Bola Tinubu on Tuesday paid tribute to elder statesman and longtime political ally, Yusuf Ali, on his 90th birthday.
Tinubu described Ali as a sincere friend, a committed democrat, and one of the founding fathers of the All Progressives Congress, whose wisdom proved indispensable during the party’s formation.
In a personal birthday message, the President said he and Ali had walked together for a long time through difficulty and victory, adding that he had found him unfailingly honest and patriotic across their years of friendship.
Tinubu wrote, “Alhaji Yusuf Ali and I have walked together for a long time, in gloom and in happiness, in victory and through setbacks.
“In all these years, I have found him to be an honest and sincere person, an avowed nationalist, a committed democrat, and a friend indeed.”
Born in Jos on June 2, 1936, to parents originally from Kano, Ali built a career that traversed the petroleum industry, sports administration, and partisan politics.
He stepped away from his position as Regional Manager of Total Oil during the transition to the Second Republic to contest a seat in the Constituent Assembly and serve as a councillor in Rano, Kano State.
The nonagenarian later served as Managing Director of UniPetrol for a decade.
He also served as National Chairman of the defunct All Peoples Party, a chieftain of the Action Congress of Nigeria, and a founding member of the APC.
Ali also served as Chairman of the Nigeria Football Association.
According to Tinubu: “Alhaji Ali’s wisdom, leadership and political experience proved useful in those giddy days of the formation of the APC.
“He remains, to this day, a personal friend and supporter. He stood by my side on my journey to the presidency.”
The President prayed for Ali’s continued good health and expressed hope that he would witness the full realisation of the Nigeria they both have worked toward.
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