President Bola Tinubu has sent a message of congratulations to Alhaji Yussuf Garba Ali who clocked 90.
In a statement personally signed by him, the president wrote, “I am elated to join the family, friends and protégés of my friend and brother, elder statesman Alhaji Yusuf Garba Ali, to celebrate this iconic Nigerian on his 90th birthday, June 2.
“We give Almighty Allah the glory for keeping you through these years and, especially, for your indelible contributions to the development of Nigeria through your long career in the petroleum sector, sports administration as chairman of the Nigeria Football Association and politics.
“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 in 1936 to parents originally from Kano, Alhaji Yusuf has, through the years, fostered familial and communal ties and mentored generations of Nigerians in business and politics.
“Alhaji Yusuf cut his teeth in active politics during the transition to the Second Republic, when he took leave of his position as Regional Manager of Total to contest for a seat in the Constituent Assembly and serve as a councillor of Rano in Kano State. Later in his career, he served as Managing Director of UniPetrol for 10 years.
“As the National Chairman of the defunct All Peoples Party (APP), a chieftain of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) and as a founding father of the All Progressives Congress (APC), our democracy benefited a lot from his wisdom and dedication.
“I have benefited from his committed friendship, wisdom and wise counsel.
“Alhaji Alli’s wisdom, leadership and political experience proved useful in those giddy days of the formation of APC. He remains, to this day, a personal friend and supporter. He stood by my side on my journey to the presidency.
“I pray to Almighty Allah to grant you better health so that you can continue making your contributions to our fatherland and witness the full dawn of the Nigeria we both dream of.
“Happy birthday, my brother,” the president concluded.
