Remi Tinubu Denies Political Link to ₦20.4bn Birthday Fundraiser, Says It’s for National Library Completion

The wife of the President, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, has dismissed claims that her 65th birthday fundraiser is linked to her husband’s 2027 re-election bid. She clarified that the initiative is strictly for the completion of the National Library complex, which has already attracted over ₦20.4bn in donations since its launch last Thursday.

Speaking at an interactive session with State House Correspondents in Abuja, Mrs Tinubu said the project has no political undertone. She noted, “Let me at this point correct a notion moving around about this fundraising, it is not connected to anything political. So far, we have raised ₦20.4bn since this fund launched last week and more are still coming.”

Reflecting on her past philanthropic efforts, the First Lady recalled raising ₦50m for the National Sickle Cell Foundation Centre at 45 and ₦200m for the New Era Foundation at 50. She stressed that this birthday initiative continues her tradition of using milestones to support education and national development.

Her clarification came after Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate, Peter Obi, questioned why Nigeria must wait for birthday gifts to complete the National Library. In his X post, Obi wished Mrs Tinubu a happy birthday and prayed for more fruitful years.

Addressing such concerns, Mrs Tinubu maintained that philanthropy is about collective responsibility. She said, “What is wrong with drawing attention to areas of need and inclusion? Helping to rebuild does not have a political undertone—it’s our duty as citizens to contribute meaningfully to society, I even donated to the post-war rebuilding of schools in Liberia.”

Quoting John F. Kennedy, she added, “Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country.” She also drew inspiration from Isaiah 58:6, which she described as central to her lifelong commitment to service.

The birthday account, tagged Oluremi@65 Education Fund, will remain open until December 2025. It is coordinated by the Ministry of Education with signatories including the Minister of Education and the Chief Librarian of the Federation, while Mrs Tinubu serves only as a driver of the initiative. She appealed to Nigerians to donate instead of sending gifts or newspaper advertisements.

The National Library project, first proposed in 1981, has faced decades of delays. Awarded in 2006 for ₦8.59bn and expected to finish in under two years, the 11-storey building reached only 44 percent completion by 2023, with costs rising to between ₦49.6bn and ₦120bn. Located between the National Mosque and the National Ecumenical Centre in Abuja, it remains one of Nigeria’s most notable stalled projects.

In 2025, the Federal Government directed TETFund to resume construction. Education Minister Tunji Alausa confirmed in April that work would restart by June, while the Nigerian Library Association renewed its call for urgent completion in September, citing the project’s importance for education, research and cultural preservation.

Mrs Tinubu, a former senator and Lagos First Lady, expressed gratitude to contributors including President Bola Tinubu, Vice President Kashim Shettima and his wife, former President Muhammadu Buhari, former first ladies, the Senate President, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, state governors and their spouses, security chiefs and business leaders such as Aliko Dangote, Abdulsamad Rabiu, Arthur Eze, Tony Elumelu and Jim Ovia.