By Akinwale Kasali
Following the defection of Governor Aminu Waziri Tambuwal of Sokoto State, to the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, from the All Progressives Congress, APC, which has led to brickbats between the political parties and the defectors, Tambuwal has lambasted APC stalwart and leader, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, saying he has what it takes to challenge President Muhammadu Buhari for the presidential seat in 2019.
Tambuawal made this known while reacting to the statement of the APC National Leader, Ahmed Tinubu, about his exit from the ruling party.
According to a statement on the State’s Twitter handle, @sokotogovthouse, Tambuwal said; “If I wanted to and if the Presidency is what (why) Ahmed Tinubu thinks I defected, I could contest with President Buhari under the APC. I have what it takes to have contested with Mr. President.
“Tinubu tried to rock the boat when he was denied Buhari’s vice presidency. He thinks every other person could behave his way. If I wanted to contest under the APC as president, I could have done so and only the votes could have produced a winner.
“In any case, Tinubu is confessing that there is no level-playing ground for all members of the APC; that there is no internal democracy in it and that some people were denied their right to internal democracy.”
Tinubu had on Sunday alleged that Tambuwal wants to become president: “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,” Tinubu said in a statement titled, “They go away because we go the right way,” which he personally signed.
