Former Lagos State governor, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu has dismissed reports he will contest for the presidency in 2019.
In a statement signed by Tunde Rahman, from Tinubu’s Media Office, yesterday, the All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftain said reports of any 2019 presidential ambition was simply to drive a wedge between him and President Muhammadu Buhari.
Tinubu also dismissed, as “a shameless lie,” reports that he has pencilled down three prominent Nigerians as his running mate in 2019.
“First, Asiwaju Tinubu is not gearing up for a presidential run. As long as that patriotic and committed man named Muhammadu Buhari holds and seeks to hold the mantle as our president, then, Tinubu stands behind him in unwavering support and confidence. Asiwaju Tinubu remains faithful to the mission of progressive reform and change that president Buhari, he and the All Progressives Congress (APC) have started. Tinubu was instrumental in the formation and success of the APC. His toil and efforts helped establish this government. He is not one to tear down something he laboured so dutifully to build.
“Asiwaju Tinubu has not held any planning meetings for any such presidential campaign and is not contemplating any such meetings. He has no present list of possible running mates because he has no present intention of running.
“Asiwaju is acknowledged to be the intellectual father and the driving force behind the APC. It makes no sense that he would abandon the party he worked hard to build, in order to enter the dilapidated building the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has become. Asiwaju worked for over 16 years to break the PDP yoke on the nation. After breaking that yoke, it is not in his nature to voluntarily place it back on our necks. Anyone who has followed his career, even his staunchest critics, knows Asiwaju for his partisan consistency. He is not a party-hopper.
“He is loyal and sticks with the party to which he belongs. After fighting for so many years to elevate his party to the position of national leadership, he would not give that away in order to join with those who blame him for their currently bleak political circumstance…” said Rahman.