First Lady Oluremi Tinubu on Tuesday debunked claims that her 65th birthday anniversary fundraiser is tied to her husband’s 2027 re-election bid.

Mrs Tinubu also revealed that the fundraiser, which is for the construction of a new National Library complex, has received over N20.4bn in donations since she first announced it last Thursday.

Speaking at an interactive session with State House Correspondents at the Aso Rock Villa, Abuja, Mrs Tinubu said, “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 N20.4bn since this fund launched last week, and more are still coming.”

She reflected on her previous fundraising milestones, underscoring her consistent dedication to nation-building through philanthropy, saying, “This is not the first time I have raised funds for causes close to my heart. For my 45th birthday, I raised N50m to complete the National Sickle Cell Foundation Centre, which has since become fully operational. For my 50th birthday, I raised N200m for the New Era Foundation.”

Her comments follow remarks by the presidential candidate of the Labour Party in the 2023 elections, Mr Peter Obi, who argued that Nigeria does not need to wait for birthday gifts before completing its National Library.