By James Orji
Sokoto state governor Aminu Tambuwal has met with President Muhammadu Buhari to intimate him of his plans to contest next year’s presidential election, sources in the Presidency informed the magazine on Tuesday. The fomer Speaker of the House of Representatives is the latest among presidential hopefuls who have consulted with the president on their presidential aspirations.
The Sokoto governor is however of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party, PDP while the president rules under the All Progressives Congress, APC banner.
Apart from Tambuwal, other politicians who have revealed their presidential interests to Buhari include Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, Bola Tinubu, the National Leader of the ruling APC, Governor Dave Umahi of Ebonyi state, Senator Rochas Okorocha, Minister of Transport Rotimi Amaechi.
The president has yet to name his prefered candidate for the presidency but various aspirant have been trying to seek his endorsement, with the belief that his support can assist them in securing the presidency, close poltics sources told the magazine.
The Sokoto helmsman who met the president behind closed door at the presidential villa is contesting on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP and his party has fixed May 31 for its presidential primary.
The meeting also came after Tambuwal dissociated himself from report that he was part of the decision by some Northern leaders to chose Governor Bala Muhammed of Bauchi State and former Senate President Bukola Saraki as their consensus candidate.
In a communique signed by a former Vice-Chancellor, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Prof. Ango Abdullahi, some Northern leaders said Saraki and Mohammed were chosen after serious consultations with all the aspirants from the zone.. But, Tambuwal later described the report that he was part of the arrangement as “to be candid and forthright, not correct. ”
In a statement by his campaign organisation, Tambuwal said he was not part of meeting purpotedly held in Minna, Niger State.
According to the statement: “The attention of Tambuwal Campaign Organization (TCO) has been drawn to a news item that former Senate President, Bukola Saraki and Governor Bala Muhammad of Bauchi State have emerged as consensus candidates from amongst the four of us announced at a meeting in Minna, Niger state.
“This is, to be candid and forthright, not correct. The correct situation is that the team met on Wednesday 20th April, 2022, at Bauchi Governor’s Lodge in Abuja and had a review meeting; and, unaniimously agreed that the consensus arrangement was not working.
“The team further agreed that Senator Saraki should come up with a draft statement on how to communicate this decision to the Nigerian public. This was the last time that members of the team sat and mutually agreed on anything. The proposed meeting to review and vet the statement scheduled for 10 pm of the same day was aborted unilaterally by Senator Saraki via a WhatsApp message.”
