Tinubu supports Buhari to achieve 2023 presidential ambition –Saraki

Bola Tinubu and Bukola Saraki

Senate President, Bukola Saraki, has said that the national leader of the All Progressives Congress, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, supports President Muhammadu Buhari’s re-election only with the hope that he should succeed Buhari in 2023.

Saraki said this in a declaration on Monday in response to an open letter written by Tinubu on Sunday.

The former Lagos State governor, in his letter had said the Senate President dumped the APC because of his Presidential ambition and egocentric quest for power, in place of excellent governance.

However, in a statement titled, ‘The Tinubu rhetoric — My response,’ Saraki said while Tinubu was appointed the head of the APC’s reconciliation committee, he (Tinubu) reached out to him (Saraki) and admitted that he was also not satisfied with Buhari’s performance, but that he would remain in the party.

Saraki added, “but, throughout those meetings, the bone of contention between me and him was that, while I expressed issues that there has been nothing on ground to guarantee me that the administrative style and attitude might change in the next four years in a manner that will permit us deliver the positive changes we promised to our people, he (Tinubu) expressed a robust opinion that he would rather ‘support a Buhari at the hospital stretcher’ to get a 2nd term because in 2023, power will shift to the South-west.

“This Tinubu’s point of view was not only expressed to me however to numerous of my colleagues. So much for acting in national interest.

“It is clear that while my personal decision was primarily based on protecting collective, national interest, Tinubu will instead stay with the identified inadequacies in the government for the sake of fulfilling and preserving his presidential ambition in 2023.

“This new position of Tinubu has only validated inconsistency, specifically when one reviews his antecedents over time.”

Saraki stated Tinubu was nevertheless sulking over the truth that he (Saraki) was one of those who opposed Tinubu’s bid to become the running mate of candidate Buhari in 2014.

He added, “again, permit me to reiterate my position that my unsure and complicated relationship with Tinubu has been constantly defined through the event of 2014 while myself and other leaders of the APC opposed the Muslim-Muslim ticket arrangement about to be foisted at the APC for the 2015 polls.

“It should be noted that he has not forgotten the fact that I took the bull by the horns and told him that in the interest of the country, he have to accept the need for the party to provide a balanced ticket for the 2015 general elections in terms of religion and geo-political zones.

“Since that time, he has been very active, plotting at every point to undermine me, within and outside the national assembly.”