The presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, has debunked the report that he held a secret meeting with G-5 governors of the leading opposition party, Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in London.
The G-5 governors led by the governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike, are at loggerheads with their party over the need to make a Southerner its national chairman.
The demand of the G-5 governors was to ensure equity as the presidential candidate of the party, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, is from the North.
They had also vowed not support the candidate of the party until their demand was met.
Alternatively, they said they would mobilise support for any other presidential candidate of their choice.
It was against that background that news was rife that the governors were already meeting with Tinubu of the APC to support him in the coming presidential election.
However, speaking on the alleged meeting, Tinubu, in a statement issued by his media office, headed by Mr. Tunde Rahman, said the report was “evil intentioned”.
The statement reads in full:
As usual with him when a year is coming to an end to take time off his busy schedules, take a little rest and proceed to Saudi Arabia to observe Umrah (Lesser Hajj), HE Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu was in London during the week en route Mecca, Saudi Arabia.
While in the United Kingdom, Asiwaju Tinubu noted some articles in some national newspapers in Nigeria, alleging a secret meeting was held in London between him and the G-5 governors who are members of Peoples Democratic Party.
These reports, to say the least, are not only in bad faith but also evil intentioned. They were published to advance the political interests of the writers and their sponsors.
The Presidential Standard-bearer of the All Progressives Congress, HE Asiwaju Tinubu, is neither bothered by these articles nor by their sponsors who are well known. He is resolutely focused on his campaign objectives which are geared towards achieving victory in the upcoming presidential election in order to deliver the APC’s Action Plan aimed at giving a Renewed Hope to our people in all facets of their lives.
But we must point out that the APC candidate is entitled to meeting any political actor or stakeholder that is important to his campaign and plans for the country and that desires to engage with him.
The truth with respect to his present itinerary is as follows:
-HE Asíwájú Tinubu came to London on Boxing Day Monday December 26, 2022 to spend a few days preparatory to his trip to Saudi Arabia.
-After spending some time in London, he has now proceeded to Mecca where he is at present observing Umrah.
-He is scheduled to return to the country within the next two days to continue with the campaign.
We would like to use this opportunity to advise those writing unsubstantiated articles and peddling rumours on him to desist forthwith.
