"Governor Tambuwal’s exit can be distilled to one cause. He covets the presidency. However, he had not the stomach to challenge President Buhari in a primary. Much the same for Senate President Saraki. Returning to the PDP, he harbors dreams of the presidency but Tambuwal’s ambition will dwarf Saraki’s when the two collide," Tinubu stated.
Bola Tinubu, National Leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), has described the defection of Governor Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto State to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as a move coated in his desire to contest the presidency on the party's automatic ticket.
In a statement released on Sunday entitled: ‘They Go Away Because We Go The Right Way’, Tinubu said Tambuwal's defection had nothing to do with governance, but about "forging a personal ambition predicated on the defeat of progressive reform, not the advancement of it".
He also spoke on Senate President Bukola Saraki's defection, noting that the latter made the move because he also has dreams of contesting for President.
He, however, noted that Saraki's defection may not work well in his favour after all, because Tambuwal also has presidential dreams, and his ambition will "dwarf Saraki’s when the two collide."
He said: "Governor Tambuwal’s exit can be distilled to one cause. He covets the presidency. However, he had not the stomach to challenge President Buhari in a primary. Tambuwal felt further insulted that he would be compelled to face a direct primary just to retain the governorship nomination. But for the promise made by PDP headliners like Rivers State Governor Wike that he would have the PDP presidential nomination, Tambuwal would not have left. His exit had nothing to do with governance of the nation. It was about forging a personal ambition predicated on the defeat of progressive reform not the advancement of it.
“Much the same for Senate President Saraki. Returning to the PDP, he harbors dreams of the presidency but Tambuwal’s ambition will dwarf Saraki’s when the two collide. If Saraki had remained in the APC, he would be unable to reclaim his Senate seat let alone the Senate Presidency. He thus bolted because he lusts for the presidency but was promised by the PDP, at least, a return to his position in the Senate."
According to Tinubu, Saraki has been more interested in using his position as the Senate President to "favour himself", rather that applying his energies to areas "where government and nation needed help".
His words: "For Saraki to talk about lack of governance is for him to deny who he is and the position he holds. This man stands as Nigeria’s Number 3 citizen. Clothed is he in ample power and influence.
"If he saw areas where government and the nation needed help, he could have easily applied his energies to these areas. He could have drafted legislation and easily got laws passed. However, no progressive enactment bears his name for he cared not for progress. He has been more focused on changing the rules of the Senate to favour himself and changing the order of elections so as to coincide with his selfish designs.
“The rest of the defectors were given similar assurances by the PDP as to their offices. The APC refused to make such bargains as they are part of the ancient regime; these bargains are not of our democratic new way."